The Shift
by Tensleep
Summary: The night shift at the DX is a shift no one wants and for good reason. Mike Garren finds that out the hard way, but that's only part of the story... Ties in with Finn. T for language. Beta'd by Zickachik73.
1. Chapter 1

Hey there everyone! This is my newest tale. It ties in with chapter 32 of Finn, but I personally don't think you need to know more than the first two chapters of Finn to get it. Oh well. Hopefully everyone will enjoy! This was written with the help and betaship (if that's a word) of Zickachik73. Believe me, much better with her on the team. So thanks again, Zickachik73.

Disclaimer: S.E. Hinton owns The Outsiders and I own everything else relevant in this story.

On with the shoe!

_Everyone has a choice. Sometimes it just looks like there aren't any. I was better off not knowing...  
_  
Chapter 1

You know how everyone says it was just a regular, normal day when the most amazing stories happen? Well, I'm happy to say I didn't follow that damn cliché. My day had been one shit incident after another. First, I got up an hour too early and couldn't go back to sleep or I wouldn't get to work on time. Next was the fact that work was running slower than I could ever remember. It should have been accident city since today it was raining up a storm, too. And last, it wasn't even my shift. Starkey was taking a week's vacation and someone was going to have to cover his night shift at the station. Who woulda thought Starkey was ever relaxed enough to enjoy a vacation? But that wasn't the point. I was the only one who never had anything to go home to, but now I did. I had a bossy, over bearing redhead who had a bossy and over bearing boyfriend who seemed to think he could control everyone he'd ever met. Not to mention that know-it-all kid brother of hers. Naturally, when both Soda and Steve reminded me I owed them one, I took the shift and was happy to do so.

No one liked the night shift at the station. I understood why. There were more robberies at night then there ever were during the day. The thieves in Tulsa weren't brain damaged, but Starkey was old and mean enough so they held off on robbing this one. I could handle it for a week.

So there I was, minding my own business and looking forward to a day off tomorrow when none other than little Curly Shepard walked through the door followed by two of his punk friends. Now, Curly might as well have been brain damaged. He took one look at me and seemed shocked. Of course he covered it up quickly and ended up smiling to his suspicious looking friends before coming over to talk to me. I wasn't born yesterday. They'd cased the place and were expecting Starkey. I was an unknown element and he was out of his league trying to figure out where things went astray on him. He was no Tim, that was for sure.

"Hi, Garren," he offered as he leaned on the counter and his friends milled into the store.

"Curly," I replied.

"Since when do you work the night shift?" he asked.

"I don't."

Curly frowned deeply. Like I said, not the brightest bulb out there. I glanced over his shoulder at one of his friends. He was taller and older than Curly, looking more like an alley cat than anything. He was scowling as one hand was discreetly pocketing some candy. I glared at him, not looking away as I addressed Curly.

"Curly Shepard, if I find one item out of stock, your brother is going to beat the tar out of you."

"I didn't do nothin'!" he griped.

"No, but that dumb shit to your right is doing a lot more than nothin'," I replied with a nod of my head in the kid's direction.

Curly sent the kid a look and received a glare in return. I sighed, noting the other one was looking shifty too. He kept glancing at the one I had caught stealing. The thief was obviously the one I should be watching if his friend was so focused on him. His blue eyes darted over to me for a brief moment and I could tell he was just as anxious as Curly, even if he wasn't showing it. I glared at him and returned my attention to Curly.

"Kid, there'd better be something you want."

"I came in for cigarettes," he answered.

"I've got none to sell," I answered and he gaped at me.

There was a whole case behind me full of them, but I wasn't putting up with this shit. Curly Shepard and his friends had come in here for a reason. I knew the kid wasn't above knocking over liquor stores or anything equally as stupid. He'd had a reason for picking this time and he was nervous as all get out since there wasn't an old man behind the counter. I knew his brother, I knew how to handle myself and he was up shit creek without a paddle if he tried anything with me. He obviously knew it.

"You do too!" he said eagerly "You got lots. I'll take two packs of Camels."

The Greasers in Tulsa had a thing for Kools. Don't ask me, I never had a thing for Menthol myself. Apparently Curly didn't, either.

"Listen, Kid. It's late. Get home before your mother decides to spank you," I advised and he bristled.

"My mother is my business. You got no right, Garren."

"Then keep it that way. Get the hell out before the cops come down on your head and your mother becomes my business."

Now, that was apparently the wrong thing to say.

I heard a click and glanced over at the kid who had been lifting candy. He came forward with a gun in his hand. I sighed and wondered how dumb these kids could get.

"Hands up," he commanded and I kept them right where they were.

Curly spun around and gaped at his companion with something like surprise and impending doom.

"Put that away! You'll bring the fuzz down on us," he hissed.

"No. He's gonna call the fuzz down on us either way," the kid with the gun snapped, waving the gun at me like it was a damn toy.

"He wouldn't. He knows the score –"

"He don't know jack shit, Curly. He's behind the counter instead of the old man you promised," the third kid spoke.

I was careful not to look over at the third kid. He wasn't the one with the gun. I knew for a fact that punk kids and guns didn't go well and were always followed with a jumpy trigger finger. I knew I had to diffuse this and fast or I was going to be having a worse night than I already was enjoying.

"I'm not going to call the cops," I stated clearly.

"Bullshit!" the kid with the gun said – let's just call him Stupid for the sake of simplicity.

"He's got a rap like Tim's," Curly told Stupid. "He'd probably get hauled in right along with us."

"Shut up, Curly," the third kid – let's call this one Larry because this was shaping up to be a Stooge episode to me – ordered the youngest Shepard. "It's one thing for you to chicken out on us –"

"I am not!" Curly said adamantly "I can't help if I know the guy."

"Ladies, I hate to interrupt, but if this is a hold up it's one sorry excuse of one."

They all gaped at me and Stupid pointed the gun a little higher on my chest. Well, looks like I was going to have a hole in my lung if he ever got around to the shooting part.

"Shut up," he ordered and glared back at Curly. "This is a hold up, not a tea party with your sister."

Curly bristled and before anyone could say something to him he'd charged across the room at the older boy and shoved Stupid's shoulder roughly.

I don't pretend to be an expert on much, but this I knew: you never touch someone aiming a gun. That nervous trigger finger I mentioned and the shove were enough to cause a loud bang in the room. I ducked under the counter as the store fell into dead silence. All three of them froze for a minute before Curly found his voice.

"Shit. If the fuzz weren't going to come before they sure as hell are now. Great going, stupid."

"Let's get out of here," Larry suggested.

"Not without the money," Stupid declared.

My back hurt from hitting the back cabinet and I wasn't sure how that had happened, but it seemed to take a lot of effort to push off of it. I managed to latch onto the front counter and tensed my legs, ready to shoot up and give that kid a fist to the face for making my past ten minutes hell. He looked over the counter and I just couldn't seem to move. His eyes went wide and he pulled back. That's when my legs did move, but it was only so they could give out on me. My ass hit the floor and I leaned back on the case behind me heavily.

"What the hell is the matter with you? He can finger me!" Curly snarled.

"Let's go. Forget the money," Stupid stated

"I've been telling you that for ten fucking minutes," Curly snapped "Garren, I'm –"

He looked over the counter, too, and a look of horror crossed his face. I wasn't dumb. I knew something was wrong and it had to do with me. I was just too damn scared to find out what.

"Let's go, Shepard!"

"You shot him!" Curly sounded like he didn't believe it.

"Let's go!" Stupid ordered, grabbing a fist full of Curly's shirt and dragging him to the door.

"We'll call someone once we're away from here," Larry put in, grabbing Curly as well.

And then it was like they'd never been there. I sighed and tried to get up but pain lanced through my chest and side. I gasped and clamped my jaw to keep any noise from escaping. What the hell was going on?

That's when it hit me. The gun had blasted and I had been blasted back from the counter. It was like getting hit in the chest with a high-speed baseball. I should have put it all together sooner, but I guess I didn't think so well with adrenaline pumping through my veins. That little fuck had shot me. I was going to kill him as soon as I got up off this floor.

But first, I needed to know why Curly had looked at me like that. First I needed to know if I had a chance of getting up off the floor. So I tilted my head and looked down at my shirt. Blood was soaking it from a hole in the center of my chest and I knew it wasn't good when it poured out that fast. I tried to curse but only succeeded in coughing. Metallic flavoring suddenly coated my taste buds and I knew there was blood in my mouth. Funny, I didn't remember taking any punches. The cough made my chest sear with pain and I remembered I was bleeding down there. If I bit the side of my cheek, it could wait; this couldn't. It seemed like it took a lot of effort to bunch up the bottom of my shirt and press it to my chest. It hurt like hell, too, so much that I had to bite back a cry.

What was it Pop had said about pain? Oh, yeah. Pain meant my sorry ass was still alive.

I pressed the shirt tighter against the wound, remembering that time in New York when Matt had stabbed me in the shoulder. I'd bled out on the floor then, too. I hadn't bothered to push anything against the wound then and ended up in the hospital for four days. I pressed the shirt a little harder. No way in hell was I spending more than a night in that place again. I looked down at the bunch of shirt under my fist. It was soaked through and my hand was covered in dark blood. Some of it was leaking down my stomach towards my jeans. I frowned at it and knew that wasn't good. I needed something else to push against it. Looking around I saw the rag bin and reached for it. The movement made my whole body scream in pain, but I got the bucket. My clean hand reached in and helped itself to grease covered rags. I had the feeling that they would have been better clean, but they were all I had.

There was less pain with the rags and I knew I wasn't doing so hot. Someone had told me once that it didn't hurt to die, that you were beyond feeling pain or something. I wanted the pain. I needed the pain. I may have acted like I was tough enough to face death, but the truth of the matter was that I was not done with life yet. Death was supposed to back the fuck down. Fuck.

My eyes were getting heavy and it was getting harder to breathe. It was hurting less and less. Where the hell were the damn cops? If I got out of this, I was never paying taxes again.

If.

Fuck.

I was too tired to stay sitting up. I felt my body slide to the floor andmade a sound I would never admit to being like a whimper. That's when I realized Soda hadn't been kidding when he said no one ever cleaned the ceiling. It was filthy and water stained. I had the crazy thought that it suited my life, but I was going to hate myself if it was the last thing I ever saw. Too bad it didn't seem like I had enough energy to turn my head. My eyes were getting blurry and it was harder and harder to make out the patterns the roof tiles made.

I knew it was serious when I started imagining the patterns on the ceiling moving. It was more of a swirly blur, kind of like Coney Island at night. I don't know if it was still spinning when everything went black, but I knew it was going to be ok since I saw something other than the same boring old ceiling before I died. Come to think of it, dying wasn't so bad once the pain went away. Kind of like going to sleep with someone you felt safe with keeping an eye on you. I liked that feeling. But I couldn't help but wonder if it would have been better if I put it off for another thirty or forty years.

Guess I'd never know.

* * *

Ok, next chapter posted because I love you guys.

Any comments at all are welcome and flames are accepted.

See ya in the funny papers!!!

Tens


	2. Chapter 2

As promised, chapter 2. Enjoy. Same disclaimer applies and all the rest of the important things I'm not recalling at the moment. Oh, thanks to Zickachik who beta'd all these chapters!

On with the shoe!

Chapter 2

"_Michael."_

I opened my eyes and bolted straight up. My chest was heaving but there was no pain. I looked down in the darkness, but found my shirt to be dry and blood free. I slipped my hand beneath it and breathed a sigh of relief that there was no bullet wound oozing blood. I ran a hand through my hair and felt like cussing for letting myself get spooked like that. What a fucked up dream.

"_Michael."_

I frowned and looked around the dark room. There was a bit of light from the street lamp outside. After squinting for a few minutes I could tell I was in a living room with a TV. It was the same set up as my living room. I probably fell asleep watching TV again. I had the damn strangest dreams when I did shit like that.

Rubbing at my right eye a little, I lay back down and looked up at the ceiling until my breathing calmed down. What the hell had I been watching to bring that on?

"_Michael."_

"What?" I growled.

There wasn't an answer and I found myself just plain growling. Something was doing a great job of fucking with my head tonight. I closed my eyes for a long moment before blinking up at the ceiling again. When I did, I nearly jumped out of my skin.

"Who the fuck are you?"

Well, what else would you say to someone you didn't know who snuck up on you? Did it matter if she was blonde and kind-looking when you were sure your heart was never going to work right again? I squinted at her and sighed in relief.

"Well, I never thought I would dream you up," I commented.

She frowned at me and I rolled onto my side so I wouldn't have to look at her.

You see, she was my mother. And she was dead. Had been since I was four fucking years old. That's not to mention she abandoned me a few years before that. She wasn't welcome, not even in my dreams.

"I wish I were a dream, Sweetie," she sighed.

"You're dead. And since I don't believe in any of that afterlife shit, this is a dream," I replied. "So shut up and leave me the hell alone."

"Michael, I'm not a dream."

"Yeah, and I'm John fucking Wayne," I muttered and Mom put a hand to my cheek. It was cold as ice. "Fuck!"

"You're having a near-death experience. I've been chosen to come and help you before your life will truly be lost."

"Near-death? You mean between heaven and hell type shit?" I asked. "Yeah, like I really believe that. It makes no fucking sense."

"Michael," she admonished.

Well, it didn't make any sense. I was nineteen and having a near-death experience in the middle of the night on my own couch. Whoever thought this up needed a swift kick to the ass for pure stupidity.

"This isn't between heaven and hell," dream Mom sighed "I'm not allowed to explain it, but think of it like a train. You're not there yet and there are still stops where you can get off."

So my own mother thought I was going to hell. Join the club, dream lady. You would think that punk shot me in the fucking head. This near-death crap was bullshit I didn't want to deal with. And a train? Who was she kidding?

"So if I'm not dead, but you are, how the hell can you help me stay alive?" I asked with every bit of sarcasm I possessed

"I don't mean to help you physically live," she answered, ignoring my tone. "It's hard to explain."

"Great excuse. Why don't you come back when you've got it figured out, lady."

"Michael, your life isn't on the right path. You go through the motions, but you don't live life. There's no love, only pain and anger," she paused. "I'm sorry for that. You shouldn't have had to grow up with the father you did, but it's not too late to change what he's done."

I didn't say anything. I didn't know what to say. It sounded like my dream mother blamed herself – and rightfully so – for sentencing me to living alone with Pop the alcoholic. I didn't know any other life. I lived it, survived it, and haven't been dumb enough to wash my life down the drain like Pop did. All in all, it could have been worse. And here she was feeling sorry for herself. Too fucking late, lady.

"Well, you oughtta know," I muttered.

"We don't have time to argue," she told me. "Here's the deal; I want to show you the path you still have a chance at being on. It's not too late, but we all agree you need to see it to believe it. You need to see it to know it's an option."

"So I guess it was 'It's a Wonderful Life' I fell asleep watching."

"Something like that," she replied and I rolled my eyes. "I knowit sounds crazy, Michael, but I can't sit by and watch you suffer any longer. I never wanted to see you shot, but it's a blessing in disguise."

So I got shot. My dreams were blending together and trying to drive me insane with a group effort. Great job, guys.

She brushed my cheek again with her icy fingers again and I shivered slightly. Fuck, that was getting annoying.

"Ok, I'll bite. So, what's this path?" I asked, hoping to move this along so I could just get the hell out of this dream.

"You'll have to see for yourself."

Oh, well fuck if that wasn't the most helpful thing I'd ever been told.

"You sound like Layne," I growled and she smiled.

"I like her, Michael. She's good for you."

"What the fuck would you know about what's good for me?" I hissed and she looked sad then. Good.

"I know enough," She sighed and offered me her hand.

I looked at it for a minute before smacking it away. She gave me the very sad, pitying look I hated. I didn't want her pity. I flipped over on the couch and faced the back of it this time.

"You have one week."

"One week to do what?" I growled.

"One week to see how your life could be. To see how life could be if you'd let yourself love."

"You can take your week and shove it," I declared.

"Don't you take that tone with me," she warned and slapped me upside the back of the head.

"Hey!" I growled, flipping over.

We were at a stand off for a moment and I realized my mother was a contributing factor to my temper since she obviously shared it. Fuck if I could have done without knowing that.

"This is hopefully your last chance and you're not going to screw it up," she told me looking stern. "Do this for yourself. Not me, not your Pop. Hell, do it because your curious for all I care, but you're going to do it."

I was going to tell her off good when she vanished as suddenly as she had come. I swiped at the space I imagined her in only to find nothing solid. I growled and flipped back onto my back.

I was getting real sick of being jerked around by my subconscious. With a huff, I threw an arm behind my head and stretched out so my ankles caught the edge of the couch. I wasn't going to dream again tonight if I had anything to say about it.

The next thing I knew, I was opening my eyes to the early morning sunlight and groaned loudly. I didn't remember taking anything, but whatever the hell I had popped giving me some pretty fucked up dreams. I was just glad it was over and done with. I yawned and shifted on the couch, dragging the blanket up my chest a little higher, not even noticing that I'd never been in that room before.

* * *

Well, Mike's off on his adventure.

Any comments are welcome and flames are accepted.

See ya in the funny papers!!!

Tens


	3. Chapter 3

Ok here's the next chapter! Thanks to Nittanylizard for helping me figure Mike out! Seriously, he does have that "The World Hates Me" thing going on. Thanks again.

Now, on with the shoe!

Chapter 3

"Michael?"

I groaned. I thought all that dream shit was over with.

"Go away, Mom," I growled and someone laughed.

"She's not your mom. She's my mom."

I opened my eyes and blinked at a kid less than an inch from my face. He was smiling at me and I was pretty shocked I hadn't shoved him half way across the room before having a cussing fit. He leaned forward and pecked me on the nose before climbing into my chair. Well, at least something in this dream wasn't fucked completely; that was my chair. I blinked and looked around the room. There were cartoons on the TV, which was ok because that happened every Saturday morning. Man, I must have only got an hour of sleep after that midnight shift.

The kid giggled and I snapped my attention back to him. Here I was thinking about work when I had this little…thing kissing my nose like I was his fucking teddy bear. What the fuck was going on? Whose kid was that anyway?

"Dad! Breakfast!"

I looked over at where there was a mirror image of the kid who kissed me standing in the entranceway to another room. He was covered in flour and had a spoon in his hand. I blinked and looked back over at the other little kid and realized they weren't exactly the same. The other kid was taller, older, and had lighter hair than the one who was sitting in my chair.

"Come on, Daddy!" the one from my chair demanded, getting up and tugging on my hand. "Mommy already called you, too."

Dad? Daddy? Mommy? What the fuck?

I was a little too out of it to stop the kid from pulling me into the dining room where there were pancakes on the table with bacon and juice. I stared at it for a moment and wondered where the hell the table had come from. I didn't recognize anything in the room. Well, until a moment later, that is.

"'Morning, Mike," Layne greeted, carrying a batch of scrambled eggs into the room.

"Layne," I replied, "What's this?"

"Breakfast," she answered, raising an eyebrow at me.

She'd grown the blonde out of her hair and had it tied back in a ponytail. Her hands were on her hips and she was fat. Really fat. Wait,no, not fat. Pregnant.

"You're pregnant," I pointed out and she smiled.

"Glad you finally caught on, genius," she replied, coming over to kiss me.

Now, this wasn't a kiss on the cheek or the chin or forehead. This was a full mouth kiss that had me frozen in place. What the fucking hell was going on?

"Come on; the boys cooked this morning just for us."

I nodded and slipped into a chair in a daze. The younger kid stood beside me and gave me a glare I swear I knew from somewhere.

"Daddy, that's my chair."

I jumped up and he sat down in the chair like he was magnetized to it. I looked and made sure everyone else was sitting down before taking the empty chair at the head of the table. Everyone dug in then. Layne leaned over as far as her belly would let her and put food on the younger boy's plate. She cut up the pancake as the little boy nattered on about the cartoons. She smiled like she'd never been so happy. It was nice.

It still didn't make sense, but…nothing had this morning, especially my dreams. I frowned, trying to remember something about the one with my mom in it.

It all came back to me and I set my fork down.

'_You have one week to see what a life with love can be like…'_

No fucking way.

So my happy place was stealing Layne from Darry and proceeding to knock her up with at least three kids? I could see the simplicity of it and putting Darry in his place was obviously a plus. But 2.5 kids? That I could do without. Just look at the little one. He was already covered in syrup.

Oh, I got it now. This was another one of those fucked up dreams. When I woke up for real, I was tossing all the booze in the house.

"Sticky!" The younger one showed me his gleaming fingers and I cringed.

"Good for you," I replied, trying to keep the sarcasm out of my voice.

The older one was staring at me. Fuck, blink already, kid!

"Hey Dad? We're going to the garage today, right?" the older one asked and I frowned.

"I thought this was my day off."

"You promised!" The kid couldn't be any older than eight or nine and he had his mother's sad look.

"I…"

"Mike, kitchen," Layne directed and I knew better than to argue with her, so I went into the damn kitchen. "Boys, hum."

"Ok, Mommy."

The younger one started to hum loudly and I groaned. I was going to have a dream headache before long. I let my eyes examine the kitchen then for lack of anything else to do. It was painted yellow with white cabinets and there were plants everywhere. There was art all over the fridge and I took the opportunity to go over and look at the paintings. One was of the family and it was labeled. Thank you, Lord.

'Mommy, Daddy, Daniel, Me.' The bottom of the paper said Gabriel. So we had kids. Daniel and Gabriel. I looked at another picture on the fridge and was shocked. There was a picture labeled 'Mommy' and an arrow at her belly labeled 'Baby Sprinkles'. Now, the Curtis' may have gone for the goofy names, but I knew for a fact that if we already had kids named Dan and Gabe we were not going to call one Sprinkles. Sounded like some demented poodle. No kid of mine – delusional, whacked out dream or no – was going to go through life with the name Sprinkles.

"Sprinkles?" I asked and Layne crossed her arms over her chest.

"He's trying to be helpful. I recall last week you thought 'Oreo' was quite clever."

Oreo? Fuck me again.

"Quit avoiding the subject. You told Dan you'd take him to the garage today like you do every month. They love seeing Jack and Steve and Sodapop. And Tell says it's good for you."

"Tell says?" I asked with a raised brow.

"Stop it," she ordered, throwing a towel at me that felt pretty damn real "You know quite well he took those psych courses just so he could help you."

"I don't need help." It was more of a question than a statement.

"Baby," she sighed, seeming to give up, "We have this argument all the time. You're fine as long as you're nowhere near that DX. I know getting shot was not a great experience…"

Shot. My right hand traced under the shirt over my chest, feeling raised scar tissue from where something had damaged my chest. A bullet. I had the sinking feeling this wasn't a dream.

"…But who you were before that bullet…I know you hate hearing that, but you've come so far." She glared at me then and I resisted the urge to back away. "If going to the DX for half an hour every month helps just a little bit more, then so be it. You use Dan and Gabe as your excuse and I'm ok with that. So go back in there, eat your breakfast, and tell him you're going to the garage today or, so help me, I will drag you down there and handcuff you to the counter for a week. Do I make myself clear?"

Now, you all remember that John Wayne movie where his wife scares the living hell out of him but he tries to act like he wasn't intimidated? Well, that could be any movie he was married to Maureen O'Hara in, but that's not the point. My point is that I was John Wayne. Layne scared the shit out of me and I was convinced she was wearing the pants around here. What was I supposed to do? She was pregnant! I couldn't do anything to her and there were kids in the next room who thought I was their dad. So I nodded like a good little trained husband and made my way back to where the boys were sitting. Neither bothered to look up and I wondered if this was commonplace.

"Don't worry, Dad. You always say Mom will be better once the baby comes." Dan shrugged. "At least then she stops randomly crying."

Ripping my balls off and randomly crying? I had the feeling life with a pregnant wife was not a simple one. And this was turning out to be worse than living with her with someone else as the boyfriend. Who was Mom kidding? How the hell could this be a happy life? I was obviously phobic of the DX, Tell was treating me like a pet, and the kids were comfortable with all of it.

I've said it more times than I can count and I'll say it again; Fuck me.

I have to say that the worst part of all of this was that playing along brought better results than breaking character as I learned in the kitchen. So, after breakfast, Dan and I climbed into the Buick I apparently drove and headed for the DX. Well, in the general direction I hoped it was in as I tried to make heads or tails of where I was. We still lived in Tulsa, but this was far from the same neighborhood I remembered. Maybe it was the middle class end of town or something. After driving around for about ten minutes under Dan's scrutinizing look, I knew this was just pointless.

"Don't tell me the damn thing disappeared," I muttered.

"You need to take the next right, Dad," Dan directed and I was silently grateful for the interruption to my internal monologue of curses against every deity I could think of.

"So, ninth birthday coming up?" I asked, partly to make conversation and partly to get information.

"That was in April," he informed me with a look I couldn't read.

"Wow, that's close to our anniversary."

"That was the month after. May 10th."

"Right. I knew that."

"Dad, are you feeling ok?" he asked and I nodded. "You never forget things."

"I'm just tired, Donny."

"Danny!"

"Gotcha," I added and he seemed to smile like he appreciated the joke.

It was a good thing someone appreciated it…I'd apparently been fucking married for at least ten fucking years. What the hell had I done to deserve this?

I caught sight of a familiar house and managed to make my way to the DX. It took forever and I was sure we didn't live on the east side anymore. But the DX looked exactly the same as it did last night or however long ago it was I worked there. We got out of the car and Dan ran right into the convenience part of the store. I sighed and went after him, but came up short when I heard a muffled curse coming from the garage. Someone was bent over a Mustang, but it wasn't a model I recognized. Of course it wouldn't be. I was ten or eleven odd years in the future and my luck was as poor as my old man on a binger. But I could tell they hadn't changed the mechanics that much in the last…yeah. You get the point.

"God Damnit! There is no reason for the fucking engine light to be on."

It hit me then that I had no idea who this new person was. And why that was surprising is beyond me. It had been one fucked up trip so far.

"Try tightening the valve on the cooling system," I suggested. "It looks loose."

"Listen, buddy…"

The guy turned around and stopped mid-sentence. I was a little shocked myself. I did know the guy, or I did once upon a time. Curly Shepard was all grown up. His hair was short enough so it wasn't curling around his ears and he was most definitely shaving every day now. He looked like he was living clean at least. It made me wonder what had gone on with everyone in so many years. I expected him to be dead by now.

"Hi Mike. Is it the first already?" he asked and I shrugged. Like I had any idea what day it was.

"Close enough. No work today," I added and he nodded.

"So you think it's the coolant valve?"

"Yeah."

Curly threw me a doubtful look and I raised an eyebrow at him.

"What? Don't believe me?" I asked and he shook his head.

"The last time Jack let you fiddle with a car you ended up hitting the engine with a wrench a couple dozen times," he said and I blinked. "So 'scuse me if I have my doubts."

"Quit talking and just do it," I ordered and he turned backaround to the Mustang.

"Since when are you interested in cars, anyways?" he asked. "Is this another one of Doc Tell's trial cures?"

Trial cures? Did I even want to know? Probably not…

"Just shut up and start the fucking thing."

Curly threw me a dirty look before doing as he was told. The car started up, purring like no horse I'd ever seen, but sounding healthy enough. Curly gaped at me through the windshield and stepped out of the car.

"I'll be damned. You make sure to tell Doc Tell he's finally got it. After ten years he finally got it."

Oh, for the love of…

"Tell didn't do shit. Anyone could have picked up on a loose coolant valve," I snapped before turning through the garage and into the main building of the DX.

Now, I wasn't brain dead. I got it, ok? That night at the DX had scared me or this version or me deep down and nothing seemed to help after ten years and my other self who had lived all this was obviously frustrated. I must have been pretty fucked up for them all to think Doc Tell was my only hope to get through the fucking day. Afraid of the DX? Useless with cars? Oh, when all this ended I was putting in a colorfully worded complaint to whoever came up with this shit.

"Dad!" Dan called when he saw me. "Grandpa Jack says I need a proper education."

I glanced at Jack. He looked older than I thought he would have in ten years. His hair was silver all the way though and his posture showed the age of a man who had worked harder than he should have had to every day of his life. Yeah, Grandpa was appropriate.

"Probably do for all I know," I muttered, walking past him into the main store. "How's tricks, Jack?"

"Would be better if Curly would give his head a shake. Damn kid hasn't had his head in the game for a couple months now."

"Missing simple stuff like loose valves?" I asked and Jack nodded.

"I've talked to him a couple times and I don't want to fire the kid after everything, but he's not worth keeping on at the moment."

After everything. The last thing I remembered was Curly Shepard looking over the counter at me after Stupid had shot me. Yeah, there was definitely a big part of the story missing.

"Hell, blame Sylvia. She makes every man's life hell and Curly was the only one dumb enough to marry her," Steve stated coming out of the office with a couple receipts in his hand. "Hey, Mike."

"Sylvia Jones?" I asked, feeling my brow furrow.

Sylvia had always been a tramp, but she often went for guys like Dally who had reps. If she started in on other guys, it was to get his attention. I guess she must have figured she had few options for guys after all the stunts she'd pulled over the years.

"Hasn't been that for six years. I'm surprised they've lasted that long." Steve shook his head.

"Well, marriage is work," I offered, hoping that was the right thing to say. I personally had no fucking idea.

"Tell me about it. Speaking of which, Chely wanted me to make sure to remind you to bring the potato salad for Friday."

"What's Friday?" I asked and Steve rolled his eyes at me.

"The Fourth of July," Jack answered. "Only the biggest holiday get together of the year."

"It's awesome, Dad," Dan put in, hopping up on the counter beside where Jack was leaning on it.

"You, me, Sodapop, Darry, Two-Bit, Johnny, the girls and the kids in one back yard barbequing the hell out of dead cow," Steve said with a smile. "Add on a couple brewskies and we're set."

Steve had changed a little over the years, apparently. There was a wife and kids in his life and he wasn't screwing around with his curls anymore. He was calmer and seemed like he was more at peace or something. I couldn't place it, but things seemed to be going good for Steve Randle. Maybe everyone does have to grow up at some point.

"I'll be there then."

Did I really have a choice? Mom said I was stuck here for a week. Deviating from the plan got things thrown at me by my pregnant and moody wife. Might as well spend my sentence here getting along with everyone instead of getting into fights. Besides, Steve said there would be potato salad and Beer. How bad could it be? Knowing my luck I was fucked.

* * *

Any comments at all are welcome and flames accepted.

See ya in the funny papers!!!

Tens


	4. Chapter 4

Well, here's chapter 4! Thanks again to Zickachik73 for being so awesome and that she feels better soon! But hey, there are perks. Vicodin is awesome. (nods)

Disclaimer: Well, pointless. I own my stuff, Hinton owns her stuff, and if there's any confusion we can duel to the death over it. That could be fun.

On with the shoe!

Chapter 4

Turns out my fourth grade teacher was right when she said you should never ask how bad things could be. It was only Sunday.

I groaned at the realization and Layne glanced over at me curiously. I knew she was getting suspicious. Not only had it taken me an hour to find my way home from the DX, but I had apparently forgotten to pick up the milk and the mail, again. I apparently forgot it yesterday and it was a recurring thing. Now she thought my mind was slipping. I think it was just the future me's way of getting under Layne's skin. I didn't blame him with the way she ordered things instead of asking. You'd think I was the wife in this relationship or something. Still, she'd made me go out and get the milk and the mail along with ice cream and pickles with peanut butter and jelly for toppings. I had never been that disgusted in my life, but I knew better than to say anything. If she had taken me down a couple pegs over not knowing I went to the DX once a month, then mocking her pregnant cravings was going to end with my balls hanging on the wall or something worse. I had never thought there could be something worse, but from the look in Layne's eye when I told her there was no caramel sauce to go with the pickle; I became sure there were worse things.

Like I said, it was only Sunday and I had no idea how I was going to handle this. This whole near death hallucination bit was a little new to me, if you hadn't figured that one out. I knew I was fucked the first time I slipped up over breakfast. That was in the first five minutes and now I had a whole week to fuck things up. I wasn't this Mike and someone was bound to notice. With my luck, it was going to be someone with authority enough to lock me up somewhere with a red stamp on my hand and padded walls to keep me company.

If I had any brains, I would have thrown a couple bags in the back of that shitty Buick and taken off for New York or San Francisco where no one would notice I wasn't me. Unfortunately, I had no brains and to top it off, I was reluctantly curious. This whole situation frustrated me and scared me all at the same time and here I was staying because I was mildly interested in seeing how this all turned out. Fuck if I wasn't in deep over my head. I failed Drama enough times to know that much. But what else could I do but try or run? I was so fucking screwed.

With all this shit on my mind, it was no wonder that by the end of the day, even if it wasn't my bed, I was looking forward to going to it. Layne got the boys rounded up around nine and read them stories until the youngest crashed and Dan yawned widely. I watched this nightly ritual from the doorway of their room and marveled over how good she was with kids. I don't know why that surprised me; she practically took care of everyone already full grown. Not that that had changed over the years. She tried to mother the hell out of me and after babysitting West for years kids would have been easy. I shook my head then and tried to keep myself from a frustrated outburst. Ten years was too damn much time. Too many people had moved on and lived their lives. Starting to wonder about what I should know about one only led to the realization that I knew nothing about any of them and that wasn't a path I wanted to go down. It was fucking aggravating.

So I stood in the doorway as Layne kissed their foreheads and brushed the hair from their eyes. She struggled to her feet under the weight of her stomach and flicked off the light before motioning me out of the room. She sighed tiredly and made her way down the hall. I hadn't done much exploring, but this is what I got out of just being in the house. You walked though the front door and into the living room. There were stairs off the living room and two entryways out of it. One led to the dining room and the other to the kitchen where the back door was. Upstairs was a little more laid out. There were three bedrooms. The boys shared the one to the left of the stairs beside the bathroom. The room across the hall was a mystery to me, as was the one at the end of the hall. Seeing as how Layne was making her way to the one at the end of the hall, I figured this was her…our room. That meant the empty room had to be for the baby. At least I hoped that was the case; shy of bunk beds there was no fitting another kid in the boys' room, especially if it turned out to be a girl.

Layne sighed when she walked in and proceeded to shuck her shirt. I was transfixed with the size of her. She was Layne, but with another person in her. I couldn't get over it. I knew I should have been looking anywhere but her, but I couldn't help it and as far as she knew, we were married.

"Wanna hand me that nighty?" she asked, pointing at the green one on the bed.

Seeing as how she was already undoing the tie on her pants, I decided I should probably do what she wanted. She slipped the nightshirt over her head before kicking away her pants and sighing slightly. Next came the ponytail and it was like Layne was seventeen again. Fat and seventeen, but who was taking notes?

"Set the alarm, will you?" she asked, leaving the room.

Now, what time was I supposed to set the damn thing for? Normally I would have yelled down the hall for an answer, but with the kids sleeping – at fucking last – it was better just to wait. I mean, she had to come back here, right? She left her clothes.

Get a grip, Garren. If she's pregnant on number three, she can obviously stand to sleep in the same room, hell, and the same bed.

A nagging little voice in the back of my head was asking why I woke up on the couch if that was true. I growled at it and decided it didn't matter. There were enough things screwed up with this reality that one little detail wasn't worth it.

A minute later, she was back, stretching her back and groaning happily at the effects of the stretch. I thought it made her look bigger, if anything, but I knew enough to not say anything. You tell a non-pregnant girl she looked fat and you got your head bit off. I didn't want to find out what happened when you said something like that to a pregnant one.

"I swear, Garren – next house we buy has to have two bathrooms. One more toothbrush or bath toy and that whole counter is going to collapse."

Notice she was Mrs. Garren, but she still called me Garren. I didn't get it, so I was another thing I let slide instead of thinking about it.

"Ok."

"Did you set the alarm?" she asked and I shook my head

"I didn't know what time you wanted to get up."

"Well, Two-Bit will be here at 6:30, so we usually set it for 6," she said like she was explaining it to one of the kids. "Why? Planning on sleeping in?"

"Nah, guess not," I answered, turning the knob on the alarm. "Why does Two-Bit come so damn early?"

"Well, you seem to get to work on time when he comes that early," she answered with a shake of her head. "That and he likes breakfast here. Rachel always has been a hopeless cook."

"Speaking of cooking, Steve's wife said to bring potato salad on Friday."

"Good to know," she replied. "I'll touch base with her tomorrow."

Layne groaned and sighed before she settled back against the headboard and picked up a book from the side table. It hit me then that I hadn't seen any of her books. She carted those treasures half way around the country. I glanced at the one in her hands and felt a little more reassured.

"How many times have you read that?" I asked and she looked up at me over the pages.

"'The Man Who Would Be King' is a classic. You don't count how many times you've read a classic."

I just shrugged and shucked my own shirt and jeans before crawling into bed. That made me wonder, again, why I woke up on the couch that morning. I mean, it's not like I didn't have a bed here. And the bed wasn't uncomfortable. Fumbling on my own bedside table, I found a magazine and picked it up for lack of anything else to do. It was one on appliances.

"Do we need any of this shit?" I muttered.

"Unless you want to find a way to do what the repair man couldn't, then yes; we need a new fridge."

"I'll take a look at it after work tomorrow," I sighed and she looked at me out of the corner of her eye. "What? Don't think I can do it?"

"I know you can do it. I just don't want you to start anything you won't finish."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked.

"It means that we had a funeral for the old stove and the new stove is going to be three this year," she answered, turning the page.

I glared at her and put the magazine down, pulling the covers up over my chest. So I couldn't fix anything mechanical around here. So fucking what. She didn't have to rub it in my face like that.

"If you think I'm waking up on the couch again, you've got another thing coming," I told her, rolling on my side so I was facing the closet.

"You woke up on the couch because you can't take the heat," she replied and I rolled over to look at her.

"Can't take what?"

"Me, up and down all night because the baby bounces on my bladder," she explained. "What I wouldn't give to be able to sleep on my back. But,I'll pick getting up half the night to pee over not being able to breathe, though."

"Sorry," I apologized lamely and turned over again.

"What are you apologizing for?" she asked and I shrugged.

"Sounded better than 'serves you right for letting me touch you,'" I muttered. "Or something else just as brilliantly stupid as that."

We were quiet for a few minutes before I heard the telltale sounds of sniffing. I groaned. Random crying. Why, oh why, did it have to be random crying? There was no reason for this shit.

I bit back my growl of frustration and turned back over. Layne was trying to hide behind her book as she batted tears from her cheeks. She gave up on that and put the book down so she could use both hands to press away the tears from under her eyes. She turned her face towards the other side of the room and I sighed before sitting up and turning towards her.

"It's not your fault. You don't have to cry," I told her. "You know me. I'm just being a jerk about this whole pregnant thing."

A right jerk. If she had have told the future me to keep my hands to myself, none of this would have been an issue right now and I could be asleep.

Apparently trying to make her feel better was the wrong thing to do. She turned furious eyes on me and gripped the bed sheet.

"You think I am crying because I want to? I do not cry!"

"No, you don't," I agreed, wondering what the hell I was supposed to do now.

Fuck, there should be a manual around here on how to deal with this shit.

"I just…" she took a hitching breath. "I hate this. Hold me."

I looked at her for a moment before slinging an arm around her shoulders and she curled into my side the best she could with that big stomach of hers. It felt awkward. We didn't do much as friends besides wrestle and hit from time to time. If she needed a hug, she went to one of her brothers or Darry. Well, looked like I fucked over that last part and this was my punishment.

"It was never this bad with the other boys. Finn just figures he'd better get my attention before he's born."

"Finn?" I asked, confused.

We called Layne Finn for a while because it seemed like the thing to do. It stuck until Aries came to Tulsa and started calling her Layne all the time. Well, there was one plus about this life – no Aries. I didn't know or care about what happened to him. There was no Sevrin, either. It was the two of us again, plus a couple kids who seemed to be well enough behaved. It wasn't so bad, I suppose.

"We are not calling him Gordon," she told me. "Or Chester or Bjorn or anything else you suggested. You suck at picking out names."

"Wait, so you named both of the boys?" I fished.

"Well, you kind of helped. Daniel Grey sounds much better than Grayson Daniel. And Gabriel Michael sounds much better than Gabriel Amery. But you're letting me down this time, Garren. I like Finnian Flynn. It has a ring to it."

"Finnian Flynn Garren." The name sounded weird. "Ok, then."

"If it turns out to be a girl, I leave it completely to your discretion because he is a boy," she informed me. "Let's hear your girl names."

Did I even care? Fuck. I looked down and she was waiting with an expectant look. I shrugged and came up with the only girl name I knew.

"Jillian Laura."

"After your mother. Alright, if it's a girl, Jilly."

We sat like that for a few minutes and I came to the conclusion that this bed was a hell of a lot more comfortable lying on than sitting on. It dug into all the wrong places. How could she stand it night after night?

"I'll be right back."

That's when I found out first hand that she wasn't lying when she said spent the better part of the night up and going to the bathroom. I was bound and determined to prove I could handle the heat and sat up to sleep, like she did, until an hour later when she shoved a pillow at me and told me to get some sleep on the couch.

The next morning I was off and out of the house before the kids even started stirring. Layne was up, but didn't do much beyond lay out some clothes for me and cook toast before sitting down in my chair and relaxing. I wasn't surprised. She had to have been on her feet most of the night. But this seemed like it was a routine for them. Yeah, them. I knew I was going to be in trouble the moment I thought of it as her and me. So it was them. I was in his routine. His routine sucked ass.

After a six AM wake up call, I took a shower in a tub full of bath toys in a cramped bathroom overflowing with every towel Layne'd probably ever owned. And it was just my luck that they were all damp from bath the night before. Who would have thought two kids could drench the bathroom? Next was dressing in the clothes Layne set out. Now, this could have been worse. Apparently I didn't wear anything fancier to work than a t-shirt, a button up shirt and clean jeans. I could deal with that. It made me wonder what I did for a living. I never did bother to ask. I was a mechanic through and through. I couldn't imagine myself doing anything different. But apparently, I was a pansy assed freak in ten years. Lord only knows what my addled mind thought was acceptably safe…

"Morning, Garrenses!"

I sighed. Well, at least something around here hadn't changed a bit.

"The kids are sleeping," Layne yawned, shooting Two-Bit a warning look

"Ah. No school. Gotcha. So, what's for breakfast?"

"Toast," I answered and he grinned at me.

"Is it burnt?" I shook my head. "Then toast sounds awesome!"

"Real compliment to your wife," I said, recalling Layne said something about him being married.

"I didn't marry my wife for her cooking. You've tasted it; you should know."

"You're awful," Layne informed him and he smiled.

"And you know you love me. Come on, Mikey; we'll eat in the car!"

I glanced at Layne as she smiled and got nice and comfortable in my chair. Oh, she'd get hers. I hear childbirth is pretty fucking painful…

"Have a good day, sweetheart," Layne called drowsily and I scowled.

"Yeah," I replied, closing the door behind me and following Two-Bit down to his Ford..

I spent the first few blocks trying to memorize the route before giving up on it. Two-Bit was the one who did the driving to work in the mornings, so there wasn't any good reason to learn where I was going. I'd be gone at the end of the week anyways.

I glanced over at Two-Bit and bit back a sigh. He was humming along to some random tune in my head and it was getting pretty damn annoying. Normally I would have smacked him and told him to shut the hell up, but it was just plain common sense not to hit the driver. It looked like I was going to have to make conversation instead. It wouldn't be nearly as satisfying, but at least it would do the job.

"So, Two-Bit…How long have we worked together now?"

Two-Bit smiled, his scaled-down sideburns twitching in amusement.

"Seems like forever, but man…I dunno. Coming up on eight years or something."

Eight years of working side by side with Keith Mathews. It was a miracle I hadn't taken my own life - I dunno, eight years ago or something. But I could see some changes in Two-Bit that would have made him more bearable over the years. He hadn't started the morning off asking for a beer, he hadn't taken any corners on two wheels, and he most definitely hadn't started cackling like a hyena at his own jokes. God, just like Steve and Culry, he'd grown up. There was hope after all.

"Why? Gonna throw me an anniversary party?"

"No. Just wanted to know how long I made it without killing you."

"Come on, Mike. You and Chely love me! We're the best team in Oklahoma."

Chely…As in Steve's wife Chely, I would presume. Lord, I couldn't get away from people who knew me…wait, that made no sense. I couldn't get away from people who knew me like family would. It was going to be hard to try and pretend this was all just a bad week.

"I doubt that."

"Ratings don't lie, Garren," he assured me and I frowned.

Ratings?

Did I really want to know?

I sighed. It was likely I'd know soon enough. Not that anything Two-Bit said ever made any fucking sense, but ratings? If I got stuck in a clown costume at little Johnny's ninth birthday, Two-Bit was going to wish he was dead. I didn't even want to think about how Chely fit into the picture. I didn't even know Chely.

Looks like it was going to be another long day. And no, I was not going to jinx myself by asking how bad it could get. I think I learned my lesson on that one. I was going to take it like a man and hope for the best in a shitty situation. And if it turned out costumes weren't optional, well could I really be responsible for my actions?

I didn't think so, either.

* * *

Well Mike's off to work! Should be an interesting experience... ;)

Any comments at all are welcome and flames are accepted.

See ya in the funny papers!!!

Tens


	5. Chapter 5

Yeah, kind of forgot about this, again...so on with the show! Thankies to Zickachik73 for betaing and nudging my selective memory!

Chapter 5

When we finally pulled up in front of where we worked, I got out and stared at the building with disbelief.

"You gotta be fucking kidding me."

"What? We're you expecting something different? A banner maybe?" Two-Bit teased and I glared at him.

"No, I was expecting that we actually worked for a living," I replied before grabbing my coat from the car.

"We do work. People love us!" Two-Bit was smiling widely. "That's the best kind of work because it feeds your ego and your wallet all at the same time."

Now, this was the perfect job for Two-Bit. He could talk to his heart's content and everyone had to listen through it. Me, hell I didn't belong within fifty miles of a radio station. I didn't have conversations all day. That was Two-Bit's department. Maybe I'd get lucky and find out I worked tech or something. So what if I couldn't fix anything anymore? I could still be a tech guy.

We walked in and Two-Bit headed for the stairwell. We stopped on two and walked down the hall to an office. One side of the room had a desk that was covered with toys and pictures and random colors. The one across from it had some pictures and paintings that were obviously Gabe's creation. The third desk in the office had pictures and flowers and pink doilies; obviously Chely's desk.

"Now, lets see what's up in the world today," Two-Bit suggested, flopping into his chair and positioning his feet on his desk. He picked up a clipboard from it and began flipping through it. "Says here there was a car crash on the inner west side early this morning. Charlie would have covered that, so we just get to give updates."

"Then what are we going to talk about?" I asked, flipping through the matching clipboard on my desk

"Whatever the hell we want. The boss said to have fun – probably because of the ratings going up with the 'flying by the seat of our pants' approach instead of structure," he paused. "Oh, that and no burning down the station."

Did I even want to know?

"Speaking of which, did you get a copy of the latest census yet?" he asked and I blinked.

What the hell was a census and why did we need one? Thankfully, someone entered the room before I said something stupid.

"Hey there, pretty lady!" Two-Bit smiled and I turned to get my first look at Chely Randle.

She was tall and blonde. Well, no wonder Two-Bit didn't mind this job. But she was Steve's wife. I shrugged to myself and sat down behind my own desk to just watch them interact for now.

"Morning Two-Bit, Mike. There's a pot of coffee on in the break room and I baked cookies."

"Chely, you're an angel," Two-Bit said before getting up to go plunder the cookies.

Damn. That left me all alone with Chely. She leaned a hip on my desk and gave me a critical look with warm brown eyes. I was tempted to snap at her, but I figured the other me wouldn't appreciate that when he got back. Damn, I just wanted to go home.

"Layne's still not sleeping well, huh?"

"Yeah, I mean, no. She's not sleeping well," I replied, grateful for a subject I could do.

"I was talking to my mom and he suggested she take a nice, long, hot bath before bed –"

He? Since when were…you know what, never mind. I already knew I was better off not knowing.

" – maybe that'll put the baby to sleep so he won't move around as much and she won't have to get up as often."

"She's got you saying it's a boy, too," I muttered.

"Mike, it took her parents what, six times or something to get a girl. She expects the same."

"Six? We are not having –"

"Guys, we go on in five," Two-Bit called into the room.

Chely jumped up and checked her hair – of all things – and I shook my head before grabbing the clipboard on my desk and following them. They stopped outside a glass booth where there was a man older than us talking into the microphone and smoking. He threw us a dirty look and Two-Bit waved.

"Man, it's been five years and he still looks pissed that we bumped him to the graveyard shift," Two-Bit said with a grin.

"Well, I for one do not miss getting up at 3 every morning just so we could have no audience until seven," Chely replied. "And our ratings, might I add, went sky high once it was obvious we were getting full night's sleeps. I so do not miss the circles under my eyes and trying to make conversation at five in the morning."

"And the whole going to bed at nine. Who does that once they get past their tenth birthday?" Two-Bit added and they both looked at me.

"And…umm…hell, I got nothing."

"Coffee," Chely said, pointing at the pot in the next room. "It was not a suggestion. You look like you could fall over."

I nodded and went to help myself. Of course I looked tired; I was tired. I never got up this early unless there were Saturday morning cartoons on and I was bored out of my mind. Getting up this early after hearing Layne move around all night guaranteed I was not going to be at my best today, especially by their standards.

I walked back into the hall after helping myself to a cup of coffee and waited with Chely and Two-Bit for a minute. The guy in the booth – who I assumed was Charlie – spoke into the microphone and hit a few buttons on the board before sighing and taking off his headphones. Two-Bit took that as his cue and opened the door.

"Hey, Chuckles. How's it hanging?"

"The booth is yours, Mathews," he growled back. "You have two minutes and ten seconds before that song ends."

"Thanks, Chucky," Chely threw in as he slammed the door behind him. "Hmm…maybe we should leave him alone."

"And do what? Invite him to barbeques?" Two-Bit snorted. "He'd keel over from shock and we'd have to go back to the 5 AM slot."

"I forgot about that," Chely sighed with a smile as she sat down and pulled on the set of headphones Charlie had been using

Two-Bit sat down across from her, which left me the middle seat. I sat down and pulled on the headphones and wished I were anywhere else. It was getting to the point where I was wondering if the future me was really fucked up and a complete retard. He was passing up the garage to hang out with Two-Bit Mathews. Oh, this sucked on so many levels.

Two-Bit smirked at me and flipped a switch. The light on the wall illuminated the 'On Air' sign and I knew this was when things went from bad to worse.

"Good Morning, Tulsa." Two-Bit grinned, leaning towards the microphone in front of him. "And a beautiful morning it's turning out to be. Come on, now. Don't grumble at me for pointing out what y'all already knew. It's been a pretty good Monday so far! So let's try and keep it that way. It's a sunny 72 degrees at the top of the hour and the lovely Chely Randle assures me that the rest of the week is going to be as bright as her smile."

"I don't know about that, but we can look forward to hot temperatures all the way through the fourth. That ought to make my husband happy," she added.

"Ah, the fourth…" Two-Bit trialed off, looking over at me and I guess I must have been quiet or something. What the hell did he expect me to say? "I have it on good authority that there are massive charcoal sales through the weekend. If you ask me, people should be investing in fire extinguishers. Especially if you're related in anyway to Garren here."

"They should come around when you cook," I glared at him. "I remember one time you almost decided to flambé your hand."

"Good times, good times. But seriously, Garren here is responsible for the awesome fireworks most of you see on the most southern edge of town every fourth. The kids love it and they start up at nine sharp, so train your eyes to the south for a show that won't leave you disappointed."

"Just try not to burn down the shed this year Mike," Chely joined in with a smile.

"I'm getting ganged up on here," I pointed out.

"Folks, Mikey here hasn't slept for a week and he looks it," Two-Bit informed the public.

"But his wife is expecting a baby," Chely cooed. "Women go nuts for that type of tired look on a guy."

"You heard it here first folks. Chely Randle digs pale men with dark circles under their eyes and pregnant women on their arms. Speaking of which, if she's born on the fourth you have to name her something patriotic. America, July, Hotdog…something like that."

"Two-Bit," Chely chided him. "Let Mike name his own son."

"Maybe its time for a song?" I suggested and they both shot me strange looks.

"Most definitely. Let's send this one out the little mother. 'One Piece at Time' by the one and only man in black, Johnny Cash."

Two-Bit hit a button, lowered his headphones and glanced over at me with a frown. "What is it with your wife and Johnny Cash?"

I just shook my head. Johnny Cash was a name I would love to forget. Three days on the same bus as that man had been enough to almost do me in. Layne had reveled in it. The pair of them spent days just talking about dumb things. Turned out they both came from big families. Big Fucking Deal. Not like they should be instant best friends or anything equally as stupid. At least the man wasn't looking for anything beyond conversation on the coast-to-coast trip. He had a girl or something and Layne was in no mood for anything beyond conversation. I was glad. I was still nursing stab wounds at that time and wouldn't have known the difference. That was one hell of a week.

"I don't pretend to understand her," I answered.

"Wise man," Chely agreed with a smile.

"Bullshitting man. There has to be a story behind that one," Two-Bit put in. "But that'll have to wait until the next commercial break."

Right then, I knew it was going to be a long day.

And I wasn't disappointed. When noon hit, Two-Bit stood up and stretched. He waved towards the window where another guy I had never met before was standing. The guy waved back and blew a kiss at Chely. She sent him a dirty look before leaning towards her microphone.

"It's now quarter to noon and that ends our show. Tune in tomorrow morning at seven sharp for more Mathews and Pals. Now, stay tuned for the Classic Tunes at Noon with Sean Rytina after this song and a word from our sponsors."

Chely hit the off air button and I assumed this guy coming in was Sean.

"Mathews, Garren, Chely," he greeted, turning to Chely with a cookie in his hands. "Cookie, Sugar?"

"I baked them," Chely answered picking up papers and notes from her station. "And don't call me Sugar."

"You gotta meet Steve some time." Two-Bit smiled and patted Sean on the arm. "Come on, Sugar."

Chely smirked at him and took the offered arm. I shook my head and made to follow behind them.

"Garren?"

I turned and Sean gave me a wolfish smile.

"Tell your wife I said hi."

* * *

Ooo... Someone who Mikes doesn't like already. Surprised? Shame on you then.

Any comments at all are welcome and flames are accepted.

See ya in the funny papers!!!

Tens


	6. Chapter 6

Postign another so I'm up on that! Same disclaimer applies, as usual, and thankies to Zickachik73 for the awesome job on these chapters!

On with the show!

Chapter 6

"It was about time someone shut him up," Chely commented pouring a round of coffee.

"But breaking his jaw? What were you thinking?" Rachel – Two-Bit's wife – asked giving me a worried look most women reserved for children.

"He was just doing what everyone else at the station has wanted to do for years," Two-Bit put in. "But I'd like to know what he said that pushed you over the top."

"Yeah, you're like the master of ignoring morons," Chely put in, popping a piece of muffin into her mouth a moment later.

They all looked at me then and I felt like shrugging and avoiding the comments. We were sitting in a diner across town where Chely and I apparently worked after our 5-hour stint at KHML. I worked the grill and she served whatever I cooked up. Right now we had another ten minutes before clocking in, so we sat down to coffee with Two-Bit. It wasn't long until his wife showed up. She had dark hair and dark brown eyes that told you she was shaking her head at you without even going through the motion. She was definitely not impressed with my actions and I wanted to flip her off. She knew the future me. In short, she knew fuck all. I had no idea who the fuck she even was. She wasn't even blonde.

"Whatever it was, he's paying for it," Chely continued. "The doc was muttering about wiring it shut. Joey is going to be a great sub for the next few weeks or so."

"Which makes me ask again – what did he say?" Two-Bit prodded.

"He implied he was the father of my children," I growled.

"And?" Chely and Two-Bit both prodded.

"He commented on my wife's assets and how they'd be hard to put up with for a while. That was as far as I let him get."

"Mike," Two-Bit said with a weary look. "He says that every day. The worst you've ever done is threaten him."

"I was tired of his bullshit." I did shrug then. "It's not a big deal."

"Not a big deal?" Chely gaped at me. "Where were you for the last six years? He's the highest paid radio host in Oklahoma. Everyone puts up with him since he's the station manager's golden boy. You would be so fired if we weren't already missing Sean at this point."

"Great," I grumbled.

"Look on the bright side; short of lockjaw we would never have been given this opportunity to enjoy a silent Sean Rytina," Two-Bit pointed in and Rachel smacked him up the backside of the head. "Its true!

"Show some compassion," Rachel chided him. "He would probably feel bad for you if you were in his position."

Two-Bit glanced at me and nodded a little. "Yeah, only if Mike made the punch. Sean has trouble twisting the caps off his cokes; I doubt he could ever throw a proper punch."

"Yeah, that's the truth," Chely put in, glancing up. "Hey! Sit down, now!"

Did I mention Chely's kids were here? Apparently Steve could reproduce after all. Who would have guessed?

"But Mom! He's being a brat!"

"Am not!"

"Is too! He won't stop fidgeting and stealing my things and the runt kicked me."

"Stop calling me that!" the little one commanded, throwing a weak hit to his brother's side.

"Hey!" Chely snapped.

She got up and went over to the next booth where the boys were standing and arguing. Both of them were glaring at each other, fists clenched and postures stiff. Mini-Steves.

"Moss started it!"

"No! Donny did!"

"Boys. Sit down," she directed and they did just as she said. I was amazed. "Now, you two can sit here and get along until your dad gets here or you can argue."

The boys were both looking at her warily since this was pretty much laid out as a choice without consequences.

"But if you argue, Dad's going back to the garage without you."

They both shut their mouths and glared at each other. Chely sighed and shook her head. "I'll grab another pot of coffee."

She wandered off towards the counter and Rachel sighed.

"I have never seen a kid listen like that," I commented.

"They'll pretty much do anything to spend time with their dad. He lets them get away with murder and in exchange they walk all over him," Two-Bit's gaze looked cloudy.

"Steve lets them walk all over him? What, is he sick or something?" I asked.

"Where've you been?" Two-Bit asked with a dry tone. "The day Steve so much as raises his voice to those boys will probably be the day he kills himself."

"Steve's too afraid to be the disciplinarian," Rachel commented. "It's no wonder they only listen to their mother."

It clicked then. Steve was too afraid of becoming his father to even think about being the bad guy. No wonder they were angels for Chely. Well, when she told them to be. I couldn't imagine the Steve I knew being walked all over by anyone who didn't own one hell of a car. I should have a talk with him. Kids were supposed to be afraid of their dads, not the other way around. I smirked then. Yeah, I was one to talk. Gabe and Dan and the baby all scared me just because they existed in this fucked up reality.

"Here ya are," Chely drew me from my thoughts by pouring me a new cup of coffee

"Thanks."

"This'll be the last one. Cecil is stressed." She sat down beside me again and traced the pattern on the table top with a perfectly painted red nail.

"What now?" I asked, pretending I knew who this Cecil fuck was.

"Apparently he's been waiter all morning since Dora called in sick. He pretty much blames you."

"And why would he blame me?" I asked, wondering whether I would have to break his jaw, too.

"Because you – despite what Sean may have said – got Layne pregnant again and he still has yet to replace her." Chely picked at her muffin again while I thought that one over.

So I worked with my wife. Wonderful…

"Well, tell him I could go and join my wife," I suggested and Two-Bit snorted.

"The last time you said that the man cried!" Two-Bit explained, "He can get more waitresses and managers, but more good cooks…man, tell him!"

"Keith," Rachel scolded him.

"Any other day I would love to see Cecil in tears, too," Chely agreed. "But Mike has matched his quota for the day when it comes to situations at work."

"Speaking of work…"

I glanced up at the thin man in a sweater with the brushed mustache and English accent who had stepped into our conversation and hoped to hell this was not Cecil.

"We were just about to get back to that," Chely finished of him.

"See that you do. Emily is going home, as am I," he added "So, you both are in charge of your respective perimeters. Seventeen hundred hours will see your replacements. Any problems and the emergency numbers are beside the weekly schedules."

What hell was a weekly shez-u-al? I glanced at Chely who was nodding along like that made perfect sense.

"Garren, I would like you to take home the folder to your wife. Tell her I seem to have miscalculated somewhere in there."

He handed a thick folder full of papers to me and sniffed pompously. I wondered how he could cry over anything I said. He was probably one of those people who had a front and the underside was a crybaby. This future was looking less desirable by the minute.

It wasn't until the end of the day that I was able to sit down again. A guy named Rees took over for me in the kitchen, asking about some poker night next week. Since I wouldn't be here anyways, I told him we could have it at the station. He seemed pleased and I grabbed my coat and folder before leaving the building. The sun was still hot, but it was off to the west. With any luck, it would be setting soon.

"Hey!" Chely shouted behind me and I waited for her. "The car's this way."

"I can walk," I assured her.

"Six miles in this heat?" she asked with a shake of her head. "You'd cook, Garren."

"Technically, I cooked all day," I chanced the joke and was rewarded with a smile.

"C'mon, the car's over here, smartass."

Well, free rides. At least I wasn't wasting money on gas. I slid into the car and willed myself not to groan or wince. My feet were fucking killing me. Apparently Cecil's was a hot spot to eat. I just shook my head at that one. It was in a good place and apparently the food was always good. I bristled at that. Everything I cooked was always good. Of course they'd come for the food.

But it made for a long day. Talking for five hours, cooking for another four…I thought that if life was fair I would be rich after all this work, but life wasn't fair and I never expected it to be.

"Remember, potato salad for Friday," Chely instructed as she pulled up out front of the house.

"Why are you reminding me now?" I asked.

Seriously, everyone had been reminding me about the damn salad. It was like they expected me to forget.

"Because if I don't remind you well in advance, Layne completely forgets about it." At my frown she sighed and continued. "I only do it for the years she's pregnant. I swear, the baby eats her brain or something."

"So it's not me, it's the baby," I muttered and she nodded. "See you tomorrow, Chely."

"Sure. Remember, tomorrow is donut day, so don't fill up on toast."

I sent her a look and she coughed slightly before straightening up in her seat. "See you tomorrow, Garren."

I turned towards the house and went up the front steps, nearly tripping on the one that stuck out from the others. I was going to have to fix that before I killed myself. With a sigh I opened the door, looking forward to just collapsing on the couch of a while.

"Daddy!" Gabe rammed into my legs and I set and arm against the wall to keep from being shoved back out the door. "You missed the coolest thing! There was this squirrel and we fed it crusts and then Ducky went nuts and started chasing it and then Old Mrs. Ferguson stuck her head out the door and threw a can at the fence. So Mommy said we could stay inside and play a game for a while and I won! I beat Danny!"

The kid paused to breathe then and beamed up at me like he'd just taken on the whole Cobra gang and won with no wounds. Now it seemed like he wanted something.

"Good job, kid," I said, patting him on the head hesitantly.

He beamed even brighter and squeezed my legs a little tighter before letting go of me and rushing away. I sighed and tossed my coat over a chair before collapsing into it. The thing was nearly threadbare, but still the damn comfortable thing I stole while I was living in New York before I had kids or got shot or thought of Layne as anything more than my boss' kid sister. It seemed like only a year ago…oh wait, it was. Well, to me. To everyone else it was a good eleven years ago. I sighed and wondered how I was going to make it another five days.

"Mike," Layne hollered and I groaned.

"Yes?" I finally called back.

"Can you come in here and help me for a bit?"

Sure, why not? It's not like I was on my feet all day or anything…

"Coming."

I walked into the kitchen where Layne was standing by the stove looking like she was about dead on her feet as well. She smiled at me, though, and handed me the ladle to the pot of pasta she had cooking.

"I would have cooked on the barbeque, but we're out of propane and Mrs. Ferguson was throwing cans again," she explained.

"Someone should talk to Mrs. Ferguson, then," I noted.

"And say what? 'I know you're ninety, but if you could just break that nasty can habit until you die, we'd all appreciate it'? That would go over well…"

"If she's still managing to lob cans at ninety…Sounds reasonable to me."

"It would," Layne rolled her eyes at me. "Dan! Come down and help set the table. Gabe, you too!"

Well, maybe the kids did listen as well, if not better, than Steve's brats. A minute later, Gabe had his hands full of utensils and Dan had the plates. Layne sat down at the kitchen table it looked like we were eating at tonight and helped Gabe with where the fork and knife were supposed to go. Between the three of them, the table was set in a matter of moments. I was left tending the noodles and stirring the sauce. There was already a salad on the table and I wanted to groan. Who the hell ate salad?

"Go wash hands and faces," Layne directed and both boys darted up the stairs.

Layne sank deeper into the chair and rubbed a hand over were the baby was particularly passionate about kicking her.

"Almost ready to squeeze it out?" I asked and Layne nodded.

"He's more than ready to join the Garren clan," she informed me. "Gabe renamed the baby again today."

I glanced over at where she waved at the front of the fridge. There was a brand new picture that proclaimed the baby as 'Kriket'. I frowned. The kid couldn't even spell the damn name right. I glanced over at Layne who was smiling.

"Cricket Flynn Garren. Sounds like a nice name," she mused and I scowled at her. "He's getting more imaginative."

"I can tell."

"Dad, can we throw around the ball after dinner?" Dan asked and I nodded, thinking that I wasn't going to show that I was tired.

"Mommy, can we read baby Kissy a story?" Gabe asked as he climbed into his seat.

The table was situated in a corner booth. It reminded me of the diner something fierce.

"Of course." Layne nodded.

"The baby's name is Huck," Dan told his little brother as he climbed in beside him. "Huck Rock Garren."

I rolled my eyes to the stove. No son of mine was going to be named after Rock Lupin in any way.

"No! The baby's name is Kriket Sprinklez Two-Bit Garren!"

I snorted there and covered it with a cough. The kid sounded so convicted about that. Boy, would he be upset if I shared my opinion of the name Two-Bit with him…

"The baby's kicking."

Both boys quieted and climbed out of the booth so they could put their hands over the tiny foot or elbow or fist that was trying to give Layne another hole in her body forcibly. She smiled as Gabe gaped in wonder and Dan smiled knowingly.

"You used to do that a lot," Dan informed his little brother.

"So did you," Layne set the record straight.

"When I get older, can I have a baby?" Gabe inquired.

"Only girls have babies," she informed him gently.

"Why?"

"Because boys don't have the right parts. We just get to help out the mommies, right Mommy?" Dan asked and she nodded.

"Can I help one day then?" he whined and Layne stroked his light hair.

"When you're old and married," she promised.

I was nearly ready to gag. God, being a mother made her into a chick. I interrupted the moment by setting dinner on the table and slipping into the booth beside Dan.

"Bibs," Layne nudged my leg and pointed to the tea towels hanging off the stove door.

Why she couldn't have said something before I sat down….The kids were too old for bibs. I grabbed them and Layne tucked one into Gabe's shirt before tucking in one to her own shirt and over her belly. I fought back my smirk. How I wished I could bring back pictures. Damn, this was something I was sure I could use as blackmail for a long, long, long time.

Maybe not everything about this future was that bad.

* * *

(sing-songs) "Mikey lost his temper...Mikey lost his temper..." Cookies to anyone who knows which movie that line came from!

Yeah...umm...on with the usual!

Any comments are welcome and flames are accepted.

See ya in the funny papers!!!

Tens


	7. Chapter 7

Yeah, I forgot again, sorry! I don't prewrite things for a reason...

On with the shoe!

Chapter 7

"Mike."

"Wha?" I muttered into the pillow.

"You must be really tired," Layne replied, running a hand through my hair.

"I worked all day," I replied, pulling the covers up, actually sleeping in the bed since I was so damn tired. "'Time is it?"

"Midnight."

I groaned. I'd only been asleep half an hour. "Why did you wake me up?"

"I forgot about Ducky."

What the fuck was Ducky?

"What about Ducky?" I asked instead.

"He's still outside. Will you bring him in?"

I groaned and hauled myself from the bed without looking at her. Not like I needed to get up in another six hours or anything.

"Thanks, baby," she called after me and I waved a hand in her direction rather then replying.

The house was dark and cool and I didn't mind being up, but I was still dead tired from that day at work. I sighed then. It was officially only Tuesday. I swore under my breath before going to the back door. Flipping on the backlight I looked around. The yard backed onto an alley and I could see a few vehicles parked back there. There was a tree and a swing as well as a few balls and the like laying around. I looked on the picnic table and sighed – nothing that could be a "Ducky."

"Where are you?" I muttered "Ducky."

I was about to go and try the front yard when there was a low growl and I was suddenly face to face with a large dog. It was a mutt – maybe half Shepard half Satan. I gaped at it.

"Ducky?" I chanced.

The dog growled even louder and I felt for the door to the house behind me. It came closer just as I figured out why Layne cursed the latch on the damn thing – I was locked out. So I glared at the dog and snarled back. It backed up a pace, surprised.

"I'm the master, you're the dog – get it straight."

The thing whimpered before lying down on the deck. I reached for the window to see if that unlatched, but I got nothing. Obviously I had done a good job making the house burglar proof. Lot of good that did me right now…I figured Layne would come and look for me after a while, so I sat down on the step a few feet away from the dog and threw a returning growl at it. It cowered and I reached into the pocket of my shorts for a smoke. The pocket was empty and it hit me then that I must have quit – I hadn't even had a craving since all this happened and right now, I was just bored. But now the memory of my last cigarette was eating at me and I wanted one more than getting back into the house. In my defense, it was nice and cool out here.

I glanced at where the mutt was looking back at me and sighed.

"Got a ball or something?"

The dog bounded up and was across the yard in a moment. It came back with a rubber ball and dropped the spit-covered thing at my feet. I sighed and threw it in the direction of the old lady's fence. I kept that up for about an hour before stretching out on the deck and attempting to get some sleep. The dog curled up beside me and I sighed instead of cussing it out for being stubborn and getting me locked out. Man, it was going to be a long night.

And I was right. It wasn't until the next morning that Danny came and opened the door for his old man. I propped it open with a rock and worked to work out all the kinks the hard wood had given me throughout the night. Layne popped her head out a few minutes into this and gave me an odd look.

"What's going on?"

"I came out to get Ducky and got locked out. Thanks for letting me back in, by the way," I added, standing up. "Come on, Ducky."

"Mike. That's not Ducky."

I glanced at the dog. He responded just fine to Ducky.

"Of course it is," I defended.

"No," Layne said, walking over to the table where an orange Tabby was meowing. "This is Ducky. That is something else."

I glanced at where she was using her belly to support the cat and wondered how the hell I let her talk me into a cat of all things.

"Well, come on then, Dog." I shrugged and held the door open for the dog.

"Mike, we can't have a dog!"

"Why not?"

"We have a cat."

"The cat'll have to adjust then."

"A dog is a lot of work, Mike."

Yeah, a lot of work my future pussy self was going to deal with.

I shrugged instead of answering her and went straight to the fridge where there was a left over pot of noodles in meat sauce. I set it down on the floor and the dog went to town on it.

"Dad!" Danny whispered. "That's a dog!"

"Yeah, that's a dog." Layne scratched the cat behind the ears and set him down on the counter top. "And we're not keeping it."

"Better not let Gabe see it then," Danny advised.

"You have a cat. I want a dog," I replied, shoving the cat away from my coffee.

"Mike, a cat is low maintenance. A dog is work."

"So are kids, but we didn't go for dolls because they were easier," I countered.

"That is a totally unrelated comparison –"

"Puppy!" Gabe yelped, running over to where the dog was licking its lips. "Hi, Puppy!"

The dog gave him a doubtful look, as it was pet and hugged by this kid that was about the same size as the dog was. I scratched the dog behind the ears and he relaxed into the attention. Danny came over, too, and ran his fingers through the dog's fur.

"Let's call him Cricket!" Gabe suggested.

And thus we had a cat named Ducky…

"I thought you wanted to call the baby that," Danny teased.

"Nuh uh, the baby's name is Sprinkles," Gabe shook his head.

"Well, we're not going to keep him honey, so he really doesn't need a name," Layne explained.

"But why!" Gabe asked, a desperate look on his face. "He's a good dog!"

"Yeah, he even seems to like the kids," I added.

"Mike," Layne sighed. "He probably has a home somewhere."

"Then why'd he spend a whole night camped out on the deck with me?" I asked.

"Please, Mommy, please!" Gabe begged, all big eyes and trembling lip.

"Yeah, Mom. We'll help. Please?" Danny put in. "We love you."

"Yeah, Mommy! Lots and lots!" Gabe nodded, still pulling the big eyes.

Layne watched the pair of them for a minute before turning away and wiping at her cheeks.

"This is emotional blackmail," she accused and I sighed, reaching out to hold her.

"I didn't mean to make it seem like that. C'mon, just let the boys have the dog. You won't regret it, promise."

She nodded into my chest and I smiled at the boys. They smiled back and started crowding the dog in earnest. The poor thing lapped it up and boys were laughing.

"Hey there, Garrenses!" Two-Bit yelled and the dog immediately started barking. "Whoa! Hound dog!"

"Sorry, Two-Bit," I offered, pulling the dog away from him by the scruff of the neck.

"S'alright, I know I'm irresistible."

I rolled my eyes and Gabe ran over to Two-Bit so he could wrap his arms around his legs and tell him all about the dog.

"Uncle Two-Bit, I want to call him Cricket!" Gabe announced again, standing on Two-Bit's feet for a better vantage.

"His name is Lenny," Danny countered.

"Cricket!" Gabe argued, still attached to Two-Bit.

"Lenny!"

"The Dog's name is Dodge," I interrupted and both boys looked at me in shock.

"Mike, let the boys choose," Layne suggested.

"I'm not calling this manly dog Cricket," I told her, squatting down so I could scratch the thing behind the ears.

"He does look like a dodgy character," Two-Bit offered with a raised eyebrow.

"There, it's settled. Kids, meet Dodge," I stated.

Both boys seemed to shrug, a little miffed by my change of character, but they were all over the dog again a minute later.

"Gonna wear PJ's to the station?" Two-Bit asked. "'Cause my memo said that was next Wednesday."

I glared at him and stalked up the stairs. The dog followed me and Two-Bit laughed.

"That's his dog all right," he joked and I closed the door so I couldn't hear any more.

Dodge was up on the bed in a second and I sighed before sitting down beside him.

"This is going to be one hell of a week, dog. Just don't bite the other me when he comes back, ok?"

The dog sent me an odd look and scratched lazily behind one ear. Yeah, Layne was going to make me brush it, wash it, collar it, and register it and all that stupid stuff they demanded of pet owners. Trouble was, I didn't care. The dog was old, grey around its black snout, and docile towards kids. Why not give it a good home? 'Sides, it pissed Layne off and I spent the night on the porch. I think I earned it.

"Oh, Mikey…." Two-Bit called.

"I'm coming," I yelled back, throwing on some clothes. "Keep your panties on."

Two-Bit hooted with laughter and I sighed. And this was the guy I considered my best friend these days.

"So, a dog?" Two-Bit started when we got in the car after shouted goodbyes from both kids. They sure liked Two-Bit for some reason.

"Shut up, Two-Bit."

"But a dog…man, how many times did Layne bust your balls because you wanted one?"

"I've learned it's easier to get things I want when the kids also want it and she's hormonal," I growled.

"Sleep ok?" he asked and I shook my head.

"Got locked out and ended up sleeping on the back deck curled up with the dog."

"Darry said he'd fix that for you, what, five years ago?"

"And like I probably said five years ago – I don't need any damn favors from Darry Curtis."

"Alright, suit yourself. You know, you should have Steve do it. He needs to get away from his kids once in a while. I swear; they walk all over him."

I still couldn't get over that. Steve Randle being walked all over…it was almost too strange for words.

"I'll ask him at the barbeque," I sighed and Two-Bit grinned at me. "Why don't you volunteer?"

"Me and tools…you're a brave one, Mikey. Rachel even hears me talking about a tool and she gets an ambulance on stand by…"

The real question was why didn't Layne just fix it herself? I shrugged, figuring it had something to do with the kids or my acquired pussyfooted feelings. Two-Bit began humming along with the radio and I settled back into the seat.

Five minutes later we ended up at the station where it was donut day. I shrugged figuring today was the day to miss out on breakfast if it was going to happen anyways. Today was also more comfortable. The talking didn't flow as smoothly as it probably regularly did, but hey, it probably took me months to get it down the first time and, as bizarre as it sounds, I probably wanted to. I shook my head. This future was just plain screwed up.

As predicted, when I walked in the door that night, the boys were tuckered out on the couch and Dodge was right between them, sound asleep. Layne gave me a pointed look when I came into the kitchen.

"He smells. He needs a collar, proper dishes, food, and shots," she listed. "And I'm not going to help you."

I nodded and set out the metal dog dishes I had picked up on the way home. There was also a leather collar and a bag of food was still by the door. Chely had been overly happy to help me today and I got the feeling she was like that towards everyone. Needless to say, I was half an hour late because she'd insisted on helping me shop. I glanced at the dog, making a note to remind him that I was the only reason he didn't end up with anything in pink. It was pure luck she hadn't come in to smother him with kisses, too. She had wanted to come in and see the dog, but she and Steve had plans tonight so she had to get going after she reminded me about the damn salad and invited me to bring the dog along to the big 'family BBQ'. I wasn't even related to these people and yet Chely considered us to be family.

It was time I just faced facts – I was fucking domesticated. There was just one question on my mind – how the hell had I let it happen? Afraid of fixing anything, afraid of standing up to people like Sean Rytina…it just was too far out there. One thing was for sure, when I got out of this fucked up dream I was going to kill that kid who pulled a gun on me and beat Curly and Larry right into next week.

* * *

Any comments at all are welcome and flames accepted.

See ya in the funny papers!!!

Tens


	8. Chapter 8

Two because I'm nice like that... No laughing, Keira. Thankies to Zickachik73 for being an awesome beta! Haven't said that in a while!

On with the shoe!

Chapter 8

The next morning, Two-Bit was unusually quiet. He didn't joke around, he didn't comment on how tired I was, and he didn't even bother asking for breakfast. Layne wasn't up for once and I let her sleep. Hell, I let the whole house sleep. I was even considering sleeping until Duke started whining. Maybe a dog was more work than I originally thought, but I wasn't about to back down on the topic now. The dog had a collar and a home and I wasn't about to take that away. All I needed to do was cut a dog door to the back yard and I would even be able to avoid this problem.

But I was talking about Two-Bit's strange mood. Normally, I wouldn't have cared, but it seemed like I was the only one who noticed. It was almost like he was thinking about something and he was preoccupied. I had to remind myself that this Two-Bit wasn't the same Two-Bit I knew last week or ten years ago or however you want to look at it and that it was possible he was thinking and preoccupied. It seemed unlikely, but stranger things had happened. I wasn't the same Mike he knew, either. So it was possible he was thinking and I was caring, but I really didn't want to go there.

I decided I could ignore it. Why not? Playing dumb always worked out for everyone else I knew. With that thought in mind I went about my day as normally as I had been for the last few days. Unfortunately, Two-Bit seemed to have other ideas.

After my shift at Cecil's, I was going to walk home. Chely had some mix up with her kids and had to go home early so she could take care of it. That was fine with me. This whole married life shit had made me lazy. If I wasn't careful, I was going to have a beer gut and a double chin. I shuddered at the thought and started making my way across the parking lot. My plan of walking lasted a glorious ten steps.

"Hey Mike! Wanna take a drive?"

I groaned and turned to see Two-Bit opening the passenger door of his car before darting around to the driver's side. I sighed and figured I didn't have much of a choice. Two-Bit grinned at me like I had made his week and drove towards the highway humming under his breath. It was like he was never in his earlier funk, but Two-Bit wouldn't pull this shit if he wasn't in a funk and knew what was good for him. He finally pulled into a big old field and killed the engine. We watched the abandoned oil rig in the middle of the field for a bit while I sighed and huffed, wondering when Two-Bit was going to get around to whatever the hell it was he wanted to say. It wasn't like I had all week or anything.

I finally lost what little patience I had managed to find for this mopey girl shit.

"Two-Bit, if we came out here to make out or something…"

"Gosh, Mike," Two-Bit chuckled. "You always think up the strangest shit when you're not getting any."

"Your point?"

"That's one of the normal things about you lately," he commented, sobering up.

Shit.

"Normal?" I asked.

"You've been acting off lately. I can't put my finger on it."

"That's because I'm just fine," I snapped.

"That's the type of out of the ordinary behavior I'm talking about. You haven't been this snippy and snappy since back when you first moved here. I haven't been able to pick it out because it isn't just the grumpiness," he paused. "You don't seem with it most of the time, you're tired, you look at things like you've never seen them before and you're not nearly as affectionate with the kids as you normally are."

I looked out the front window. Well, it was nice to believe I had this handled so far. Two-Bit sighed and ran a hand through his hair before resting it back on the steering wheel.

"Your mind comes up with its own strange shit," I replied evenly.

"Damnit, Mike. I know something's up. You can talk to me," He sounded earnest. "Is it cancer?"

I sighed then. Two-Bit Mathews sounded like he was bracing himself for whatever I was going to say. He really thought I was on my deathbed, so to speak. He was probably going to end up balling like a chick at this rate. So I frowned and did some of the fastest thinking I could ever remember doing.

"Two-Bit, you're right. There is something up with me, but I don't need you freaking out on me. Can I tell you without a scene?"

"Sure, Mike," He nodded.

"This has to stay between us. Layne doesn't get to know, understood?"

"She still doesn't know it was me, Steve, and Soda who taught you how to dance for your wedding, now, does she?" he said pointedly.

Dancing lessons for my wedding. Fuck, I was a pussy.

"You've always been able to trust me in the past," he added and I slouched in my seat a little more.

"Not until I knew you for a couple years and that's the problem," I sighed and he nodded for me to go on. "This is going to sound stupid, but I think I have some weird form of amnesia."

It was a half-truth. I didn't remember anything from the past ten years. Would it make much of a difference if I neglected to tell him that it was because I wasn't here for them? No, he'd handle this much better than the truth about warped near death time travel.

"Like memory loss?" he asked and I nodded. "How bad?"

"The last thing I remember is getting shot."

"That was ten years ago."

"Yeah," I replied. "So I don't remember anything about those dancing lessons or how trustworthy you are. You break this secret and I'll make sure you feel it for a while, got me?"

He nodded and I let out the breath I hadn't known I was holding. Threats were always so much more effective than calm reasoning.

"So…You don't remember anything, Mikey?"

"Just getting shot. And stop with the Mikey bit. It's creepy."

"You've lost ten years and you're getting creeped out by a nickname?" he raised an eyebrow at me. "Seems to me that you'd have a few other things to be finding more importantly creepy."

I nodded. He had no idea.

"Yeah, well, it's just the current creepy thing."

"Man…and you haven't told anybody?" he asked and I sighed in frustration.

"I'm constantly being watched by my best friend turned wife who happens to be related to my therapist," I growled. "Who do you think I was going to tell?"

"You could have told me."

"And said what? 'I can't remember anything after the most painful experience in my life. Help me, Dr. Two-Bit'?"

"Well, at least you sorta remember Planet of the Apes."

"Planet what?"

"Never mind. So the last thing you remember is getting shot?"

"Yeah. Then I wake up here on Sunday and find out my life is fucked to hell," I sighed, running a hand through my hair.

"So you've been keeping this to yourself for," he paused to count on his fingers, "four days. You could have a brain injury or something!"

"See, this is why I didn't tell anyone," I muttered.

"We should call Doc Tell."

"You think about it and I will make sure you never reproduce again," I said with all seriousness. "I mean it. There is no way we are telling Tell."

"But this could be something serious," he pointed out.

"I don't think so. No head wounds, no emotional trauma that I know of…I think this is something that has to run its course."

Two-Bit looked at me doubtfully and I knew it was time to pull a sympathy card.

"Besides, I don't want to stress Layne out when she's so close to having the baby."

"I think she would want to be stressed out by this."

"And you wonder why I didn't tell you. She could faint or something and kill the baby. How would you like that on your head?" I growled.

The truth, I didn't want to tell her. Plain and simple. If I told her, she'd tell Tell and once that happened I wasn't too confident about where I would be laying my head, if you know what I mean. The whole baby thing was right off the top of my head.

"Yeah, that's a good point," he sighed. "So what do we do? You fooled me for four days at the top of my game. As soon as that kid's born and Layne's hormones figure themselves out, she's going to notice if she hasn't already."

"I'll tell her after the baby comes if it hasn't gone away," I sighed.

"You promise?"

"What the hell do you think?" I glared at him. "Moron."

Two-Bit smirked a little then and I waited for him to go on and say whatever it was he was obviously finding amusing.

"You know, it's kind of nice to see the old you's still hiding in there somewhere."

"Well, people change over ten years. Doesn't help if they're pretty much insane, too," I added and he seemed to be a little weary then.

"Yeah. A lot changed over the last ten years. It seems like a lifetime ago that we were all kids just trying to figure things out. And I figure we had it rougher than everyone else going through our teen years."

I nodded. His dad ran out on them when he was a kid, his mother became a barmaid just to get by and to top it all off he was a greaser. On top of that was Mr. and Mrs. Curtis' deaths. They were good folks and treated Two-Bit and the rest of us like nephews. It seemed like good things just didn't stick when you were on the east side.

"You're lucky you don't remember the worst of it," he sighed.

"The worst of it?" I asked and he nodded.

"Yeah. It seemed like right after you got shot things started getting worse. It was like a stack of dominos got shoved over and then blown up just to make sure no one could pick up the pieces without a bottle of superglue."

"Things are ok now," I pointed out and he nodded.

"But it took a lot to get them here."

"You gonna tell me or what?" I asked with no heat and he nodded slightly.

"I don't want to," he stated. "You're better off not knowing."

I said nothing and Two-Bit stared out the windshield for a few moments before leaning on the steering wheel a bit more.

"Don't say I didn't warn you."

"I won't," I answered.

"Things pretty much went back to normal after you got out of the hospital. Dallas got out a few weeks later and Ponyboy Curtis got jumped the same day. Man, that scared the shit out of all of us. He was a small kid and those Socs were huge. He got nicked under the chin and bruised up a bit, but he was fine. Darry had his mother hen moment and Sodapop stuck up for the kid. He was doing that a lot lately, as you'll recall."

I nodded, seeing the people in my head like they were ten years ago. I guess it was easy when you'd seen them all young like that last week.

"The next night, Johnny and Pony tagged along with Dally to the movies. You know Dally. He was right out of the cooler and couldn't keep out of trouble for more than a couple hours. He stirred up some trouble with a pair of Soc girls we ended up trying to walk home before their boyfriends caught up to us. Naturally, Dallas was nowhere to be found by that point, so I took the kids home and headed out to find a poker game."

He fingered the steering wheel thoughtfully and I waited with as much patience as I had left.

"Now, the rest of that night I only know by hearsay. Aries and Curly Shepard had been buddying around more. We all had it figured he was there at the DX when you got shot, but there was no way to prove it with you keeping your mouth shut. Well, you know the shit Curly was into."

Yeah, I knew exactly what shit Curly was into.

"He brought Aries home high as a kite on a windy day. He practically threw him on the doorstep and headed for home. You were asleep and Layne had gone out of town to talk to Tell about you for a couple days, so there was really no one there to look after the kid. So he got right back up again and decided to take himself on a walk through the neighborhood. He ran into Pony and Johnny in the lot sound asleep. Pony was well past curfew and skedaddled home. Johnny decided that tiring Aries out was his best bet, so they went on a walk."

Two-Bit had stopped again, looking lost in his memories and I was really starting to wonder if I was better off not drudging up old memories like this. Two-Bit gave up on waiting for me to change my mind a minute later.

"When Pony came slamming through the front door, Darry lost his temper. He and the kid got into another fight and the kid took a slap before taking off. Darry hadn't meant it and he was pretty damn guilty, if he still isn't," he sighed. "The Socs from earlier found him on his lonesome in the park – the one with the fountain not far into the old neighborhood – and decided to have a little fun with him. Aries and Johnny happened along not too much later, but it was late enough."

Two-Bit looked haunted and I wasn't feeling too hot. I already knew, but he had to say it to make it real.

"Those damn drunk assholes drowned him in the fountain. Aries tried to breathe for him and Johnny ran for help, but by the time anyone got there... well. It hit us all pretty hard. Even Steve was pretty shook up by it. Darry was guilty as hell and nothing Sodapop could do helped with that. So Soda turned to cling to that girl of his, Sandy, and she ran off on him because she was having some other guy's baby. It was the week from hell for the pair of them. We weren't doing much better. Johnny crushed by the whole thing, Dallas…well, you know Dallas, and me…it was like I lost my kid brother, too."

I couldn't wrap my head around it. Ponyboy Curtis, the kid who never hurt nobody drowned by drunk Socs. It was the most fucked up thing I had ever heard.

"Every one of us was a mess. Even when all those drunk fucks got slapped with only manslaughter charges it didn't get better for any of us. Aries had what Tell said was 'survivor's guilt' and he needed time and support. We didn't know we weren't giving Aries enough of that until Dallas caught him trying to kill himself. The kid kept screaming about how he should have tried harder and then maybe the blood on his hands would wash off," Two-Bit paused. "It took him a long time to get over that."

"Sodapop and Steve were practically living at your place while Johnny and I were split between there and my place. Mom was real comforting then and Johnny needed someone to comfort him. Hell, I needed it, too. Plus, it beat Darry's. He wasn't someone you wanted to be around for a long time. He started drinking and his temper was something to see. Layne finally had it out with him about a couple months after everything. I don't think she intended to, but that's what happened. Darry would have put her in the hospital if Tim hadn't come to the door right then looking for Dallas. That's when they stopped even looking at each other. Layne tried, but even leaving food on the doorstep found the plate crashing against the side of the house. So she called it quits. Still let Soda live in the basement room he'd been crashing in and finally he just started paying rent. Darry tolerated him for short periods, but he'd get mad as hell at Soda, too. Said it was his fault Pony had talked back and forced his hand. Soda was never the same after that. He lost everyone he really cared about all in that same week."

"Damn," I cursed.

"Yeah. To top it off, Social Services wanted to take him away from Darry. You remember the big black guy who used to be Layne and Aries' government rep?" he asked.

"Mr. Tallowate," I replied and he nodded.

"Yeah, him. Well, little Sevrin had him wrapped around her finger and he talked the judge into putting him in Layne's care. I think he might have had a thing or two to say if he knew Layne was only a few months older than Soda, but that's the way things went down. Darry lost his job and the house before he knew it and we didn't see him for a long time. I've never asked where he got to, but he came back five or six years later married to a pretty brunette with a kid on his hip. He'd only say that he got some help and he'd found himself again and he wanted to make things right. You'd had Daniel and moved across town by then and Soda was living on his own, so it took some doing to get everyone together for Darry's amends. He ended up buying a house and settling down here because it took a long time to make things straight. He and Soda haven't been close since before Pony died, but they have a couple beers on holidays and seem to get along well enough."

"Is that all the bad stuff?" I asked and he sighed again.

"I wish. About a year later, my mom died. Someone came into the bar with a rifle and she got caught in the crossfire."

"Fuck," I sighed. "I'm sorry, man."

"Well, you got me through it, so I owe you one. My dad came to the funeral and got in this huge fight with the guy Mom was dating. It was probably the only funeral in history where the fuzz showed to break things up. After that, it was just me and Katie. I'd been helping Mom put her through school and she wanted to drop out, but I wouldn't let her. She's a teacher now. Married with three kids living in Colorado with a decent guy. I still can't believe how grown up she is.

"Anyways, that was about six months before Dal got blindsided by a Ford. He made it to the hospital, but there was nothing they could do. Everyone turned up for the funeral, even Aries. He'd left for New York after graduation. He tried to talk Johnny into coming back with him, but the kid had other things going on."

Two-Bit paused to smirk slightly and I wondered what the hell he was going to tell me next.

"You haven't seen Johnny yet, have you?" he asked and I shook my head. "Of course you haven't. Johnny's not even going to be in town until Friday. He dropped out after everything and started working with Layne over at the Dingo. About a year later, he said he was going to go and meet up with a cousin of his who had a business opportunity that just needed funding. They made a killing on siding of all things. Next thing you know, it's four years later and Johnny is some consultant to this building company and rolling in the dough. Who woulda thought?"

"Good for him," I said meaning it, but distracted with everything else.

"Yeah, it's been anything but boring over the last ten years," Two-Bit commented.

"Sorry I missed it." I really didn't mean that.

"Man, I'm sorry," Two-Bit said with a look in his eye I knew meant he was going to try and lighten the mood by being funny. "I forgot you forgot everything. I'm Two-Bit."

He stuck his hand out and I glared at it. "I knew you before I lost my memory, stupid."

He smiled and I let a smile of my own slip through as I pushed his hand away. He started up the car and I took one last look at the field.

"Do we come here to talk often?" I asked.

"Nope, only when it's serious. You asked me to be your best man here."

"See, now I know I was better off missing the last ten years."

We were quiet for a few minutes before Two-Bit finally decided to say something. "So, you're sure you're not going to tell Layne until the baby's born?"

"Yeah. I'm just going to keep playing it normal until the end of this week." Two-Bit looked at me. "Or whenever this amnesia thing figures itself out."

"And if it doesn't clear up by then?"

I thought of my mother's weird dream visit and frowned.

"Then I'm going to kill someone who's already dead."

* * *

Yeah, I'm not nice to the characters. That's no fun!

Any comments at all are wlecome and flames accepted.

See ya in the funny papers!!!

Tens


	9. Chapter 9

Ok, I forgot again! Just don't throw tomatoes!

On with the show!

Chapter 9

There was one great thing about working two jobs – hot water. Back in New York when we were short on cash, Layne and I always picked what bills we were going to pay from a hat. It seemed like the water bill never made the cut. I knew you couldn't be short on money when you worked as hard as I did. Thus, I assume, we didn't have to pick and choose and the water bill didn't have a cap to stick to the bottom of. You'd think with Sevrin's added pay there would be more hot water, but it seemed like she and Aries always beat me to the shower and I got warm showers every morning.

And I couldn't even share this revelation with Layne because that was ten years ago for her and I'd look pretty dumb bringing it up now. Two-Bit was the only person I could tell and he just wouldn't get it.

I sighed and scrubbed at my chest, feeling my skin crawl. The one thing I didn't like about this shower was washing that bullet wound scar. It felt old, but to me it was new. The contrast put me off. It made all of this more real than the hugs and looks and even the heat. It was only when I was in the shower that I was convinced beyond the shadow of a doubt that I wasn't dreaming.

I sighed and stepped out of the shower. I didn't have time to think about stupid stuff like that. Two-Bit would be here in another fifteen minutes and ten minutes after that we'd be out of here. It didn't leave much time for anything off schedule. So I dressed in the bathroom. I know it sounds silly, but I didn't want to wake Layne up. The combination of the heat and the baby had made Layne's sleep anything but solid. She slept through the alarm, so I figured she was better off out cold for a while. No, it wasn't that I was going soft or any of that other dumb shit people would accuse me of if I did something considerate ten years ago. If she got some sleep, she'd leave me alone and keep the kids entertained so I wouldn't have to do anything with them. It was win-win all around.

I glanced at myself in the mirror and frowned. This was the one thing I had been avoiding since all this started. I didn't want to know what everyone saw. But all the same, I was curious and now was as good a time as any since I doubt I would allow myself a repeat performance. I didn't look much different, but there were differences. The fine lines starting around my eyes, the darker stubble on my chin, the broader jaw, the more defined cheeks…I wasn't nineteen anymore. I knew I wasn't, but it was still a little surprising. I didn't feel twenty-nine. I didn't feel like I was on the brink of thirty. I felt the way I do, or did, when I worked the midnight shifts at the DX – tired and ready for the week to be over so I could lounge around and watch my cartoons.

I sent myself a look and reminded myself to smarten up. Counting today, I had three more days to keep this act up. If I started acting like I was just trying to get to the end of the stretch, I was never going to pull it off. I ran a hand through my short and neatly cut hair and wondered when exactly I had gotten rid of the wild locks. I had no idea what to do with it now and reminded myself that no one cared what I looked like. I was a voice on the radio and later, a guy sweating over a grill. And as much as I hated to admit it, life could be worse. So I ran a brush through my hair and stepped out into the quiet house.

Dodge yawned at me from the couch and I sat down beside him to scratch behind his ears. I noticed one was ripped and scarred. He must have been in quite a fight once upon a time or even many fights. He had scar tissue on his neck under the black fur; a mark over his eye and that eye was a lighter color. He probably didn't see very well and I found myself wondering how old he was and why he had waited so long to find a family and settle down.

"This life is making me soft already," I sighed to the dog. "I'm fucked when this week is over."

It was true. I felt softer and that was never good when you were a Garren. We needed to let the world know we hated it. It was the only way we could protect ourselves from everything. Mainly pain that wasn't physical. These kids – Dan and Gabe – they were fucked when it came to that. They were going to hurt and feel and they were going to be vulnerable. They were like their mother that way. Layne, though…she was still alive and still looking at the world like it was a good place. Maybe they were better off being more like her.

"Daddy?"

I glanced up as I was summoned by my other name here. Gabe was standing beside the couch looking disheveled and miserable, but he was dressed. He was like his mother. He was the early riser, the type who rolled out of bed and into clothes unless it was the weekend. Dan was more like me. He wouldn't budge until he had to and then he was slow to get all the way to be awake.

It was an interesting detail to this delusion.

"What?" I asked tiredly.

"I don't feel good."

I was about to say "so what?" but before I could open my mouth he had crawled into my lap and I groaned. So he wasn't feeling well and thought he'd share the misery. I wasn't amused.

Still, the way the kid cuddled up to me made it impossible to pull him away and tell him to get lost. Damn, I was getting soft.

"You don't feel good how?" I asked and he shrugged. "Are you going to puke?"

"No," he answered. "I just feel icky."

Well, that was a relief. I did not need to deal with vomit.

"You should go back to bed then," I suggested and he whimpered, clinging to me tighter.

"There's a monster in my room," he informed me. "I don't feel good enough to fight him off."

Just my luck that the kid would be afraid of the shadows in his closet.

"Well, what do you want me to do about it?" I asked and he shrugged, burrowing his face into my shirt.

I sighed. Oh, this was just great. Two-Bit was going to walk in here any second and I was never going to hear the end of it…

"Morning Garren," Two-Bit offered.

Speak of the Devil…

"Hey there, Kiddo. What's the matter?" Two-Bit asked, sitting down on the coffee table so he could get a good look at Gabe.

Gabe burrowed his face into my chest a little more and Two-Bit looked sympathetic. He glanced up at me and a look of realization crossed his face.

"You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into, do you?"

"What have I gotten myself into?" I frowned and he smirked a little.

"Well, you notice Gabe is Mommy's little boy, right?" I nodded. "Dan's got a bit of hero worship for you because of that."

"What does that have to do with this?" I asked tiredly.

"Well, when one of them is sick, it's like they reverse."

"Reverse?" I asked, getting tired of all this backward explanation shit.

"Uh huh. You're stuck with him until he feels better."

I blinked then. I hadn't had my coffee yet – something this body needed to get moving, period – and Two-Bit knew better than to mess with me before I was awake. He stood up and went into the kitchen, coming back a minute later with a cup of coffee for each of us. I took mine and belted back a bit of it before pressing what Two-Bit said.

"What do you mean by 'stuck with him'?" I demanded. "I have to go to work to pay for the hot water."

"Among other things," Two-Bit put in with a raised eyebrow.

"Shut up," I growled. "What do I normally do when this happens?"

"Well, first you call Hal and ask him to cover your shift at the diner," Two-Bit replied, taking a sip of his own coffee.

"And then?"

"And then we go to work."

I frowned at him. He was making less sense than usual this morning, and that was saying something when you considered how much sense he usually made.

"So, you know this Hal guy's phone number?" I asked.

"Nope, but your wife keeps all the numbers on the side of the fridge."

I sighed and got up to go and make a phone call. Gabe was still clinging to me, so I carried him along and just like Two-Bit said every phone number you could imagine was on the side of that fridge. I sighed and picked out the one for Hal. He sounded like I had woken him from a sound sleep. He agreed to take the shift the moment I mentioned the kid wasn't feeling good. I sighed to myself. I was pathetic. Everyone knew I was a pushover.

I shuffled my way back to the couch, trying to put Gabe down on it, but he was having none of it. He clung to my shirt and made whimpering sounds that were escalating to distressed. I sighed and just sat down with him. I was starting to understand why Two-Bit said I was screwed.

"Well, we've gotta get going," Two-Bit pointed out and I nodded.

"Gabe, I've got to go to work," I explained and was rewarded with a look of utter dismay.

"No!" he cried and I frowned.

"I go to work everyday. I'll even be home early today," I added.

"No!" Gabe whimpered again.

"Here, watch some TV. Your mom'll be up in a few hours and you'll never even know I'm gone."

I set him down on the couch as the tears started. I sighed, ignoring the sniffling noises. I turned to go towards the door when an unearthly shriek filled the room. I jumped, gaping at the kid it had come out of. The noise was bigger than he was! His face was tear-streaked and miserable. What's worse was he was taking a deep breath to try that again. I picked him up hurriedly, wondering what kind of a god would give a five year old that much lungpower.

"No, no, no, no," he kept whispering and I sighed.

Two-Bit sent me a soft smile and shrugged. "Be glad you missed the Chicken Pox."

Ten minutes later, we were at work and climbing the stairs to the second floor. I sighed when we finally made it, thinking this body needed fewer rides to work and more walking. I was normally fine with the stairs, but I normally didn't have a kid clinging to my neck and cutting off half the air I needed.

"Morning, boys," Chely greeted when we got to the office. "You had me worried; we go in…. Mike, you have your son with you."

"Yeah," I replied, trying to set him down on the desk, but he was still having none of it. "Kind of hard to shake him today."

"I can see that," she replied looking worried. "Is he sick?"

"Yeah," I replied, wishing she would quit with the obvious stuff.

"Aww, poor baby," she cooed, running a hand over his hair while he squeezed me harder.

"So, we have to be on the air?" I asked and she shook herself back on task.

"Yeah. We go on in a minute. So grab your clipboards."

Both Two-Bit and I did as she said before heading out in the hallway to wait for Charlie to finish. He sauntered out of the booth and gave me a dirty look.

"No children in the booth," he reminded and Two-Bit put an arm around his shoulders.

"No use telling Mikey here that," he pointed out. "The kid went through a show three years ago because of the Chicken Pox and then when he was a baby…Colic was such a fun few months."

Charlie detached himself from Two-Bit with a dirty look and I made a point to ask how the hell we managed to do a radio show with a colicky baby. I didn't bother right now, instead walking over to my seat and forcibly turning the kid to sit down in my lap. I did not need him cutting off my air supply when I had a lot of talking to get done. Chances were the kid was going to get bored by the first commercial break and end up playing with the cars I packed for him. For right now, though, he seemed pretty content with one of my arms wrapped around his middle as he cuddled back into my chest. I didn't want to know how cuddly he would be if Two-Bit was right about the other me being more affectionate.

Two-Bit and Chely joined me a moment later and we started up the show with Two-Bit's usual morning greetings before moving onto the weather and updating about traffic jams. I wanted to shake my head at how much Tulsa seemed to have grown in ten years. There were inner and outer north, west, south and east sides now. It seemed like everything I knew was wrapped inside somewhere bigger I had never been before. It wasn't like me not to know every alley and road in the city I was staying in. I hadn't had much time to get the layout, though. I imagine it would have been different if I had been around for the ten years it was growing.

"Man, I told you so," Two-Bit said when we hit our fourth commercial break. "Out like a light."

I glanced down at where Gabe's head was thrown back against my chest, mouth open, eyes closed, and was a little amazed myself.

"There's something about you just rambling on that does that to people," Two-Bit grinned. "I'm surprised we don't get more complaints about people falling asleep behind the wheel."

"You know, I think you were funnier ten years ago," I barbed and he chuckled.

"You two need more coffee next break," Chely pointed out with a raised brow. "Ten years ago? Seriously, I didn't even know you ten years ago."

"Aww, we're leaving the princess out," Two-Bit chuckled as Chely stuck her tongue out at him. "Seven years ago I was pretty funny, right?"

Chely smiled and Two-Bit winked at me. I thought that was pretty crafty. He let me know just how long Chely had been in Tulsa and made her feel included. It was a wonder he was married to the woman he was. He could have charmed any gal he wanted.

At noon, I skipped out with Two-Bit and we ended up popping by the deli and picking up lunch for Layne and the kids. While we were getting settled back in the car to head back to my place, I finally got around to asking Two-Bit whether he had kids and you could have seen his smile glinting in the next state.

"Sure do! Tom and Christine."

The next thing I knew my hands were full of Two-Bit's wallet and the pictures sticking out of it. I glanced at a pretty dark haired girl and her rusty haired brother. They both had grey eyes and his smile. I nodded and went to hand it back before he pulled out more. He was already narrating the ones I had seen and I regretted ever opening my mouth.

"You'll meet them at the barbeque," Two-Bit finally summed up. "Darry's son'll be there. Soda's kids'll come, too. Donny and Moss'll probably show since they live there. Oh, and Johnny's supposed to be bringing the baby."

"Everyone's gotten right into the family bit," I muttered and Two-Bit nodded.

"It's something that kept us too busy to remember," he shrugged.

"Yeah," I sighed. "It sure does."

It was nearly one by the time we got back to my place. Gabe had been up for a while, but was napping in my lap again. Two-Bit was driving extra carefully because of it and I wanted to point out the sixty-year-old woman who passed us. It just didn't seem worth it since he seemed to be doing something the other me would appreciate. Gabe was groggy and not at all awake as I carried him into the house. Layne glanced up at me when I came in and relaxed visibly.

"I thought we agreed we'd leave notes if we took the boys anywhere," she chided and I shrugged.

Honestly, how the hell was I supposed to know? My old man never kept track of me growing up and it didn't seem like anyone else I'd ever met did either. Rock, now there was another story, but he had West on top of Layne to contend with.

"Sorry. Kind of got behind with this and then had to race to work," I explained.

"Mike," she sighed. "I was worried sick!"

"I know, and I brought a peace offering."

It was a lie, but she didn't need to know that.

She raised an eyebrow at that while Two-Bit held up one of the bags behind me and wagged it from side to side. I set Gabe down on the couch and he didn't seem to mind seeing as how he was pretty much asleep again. Turning around I took a bag from Two-Bit and pulled one of the sandwiches out from the bag. I undid the wrapping a little and held it under her nose.

"Is that…?"

"Yup. Pure Reuben sandwiches made New York style. I even talked the guy into two long pickle slices just like on 58th St.," I answered. "Swiss, corned beef, Sauerkraut and Russian dressing..."

"This is blackmail," she accused, taking it from me and moaning through the first bite.

"Man, Mike. You got her in the palm of your hands with one sandwich."

"And that's all a master needs," I joked as Layne walked into the kitchen with the sandwich. "Danny! Lunch!"

"Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah!" Two-Bit sang, following behind Layne.

"Dinah is flattered, you know," Layne sang back and I shook my head.

Danny came down the stairs a minute later and took a quick look at his brother on the couch.

"Good. Mom nearly had kittens," he informed me and I sighed.

"Your mom's turned into such a girl over you two."

"Well, be glad you came home when you did. She was ready to call both Uncle Steve and Uncle Sodapop."

Yeah, just what I would have needed. I glanced over the side of the couch at where Gabe was blinking up at me, half asleep. I pushed the hair from his eyes and he seemed to drop off right then. Damn kid. If he had have done that this morning, I could be working behind the grill right now and paying for hot water. I glanced out the window at where the street had heat waves rising from it and sighed. Damn kid.

I didn't want to be cooking anyways.

* * *

Any comments at all are welcome and flames accepted.

See ya in the funny papers!!!

Tens and Zickachik

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**


	10. Chapter 10

Two'fer!

On with the show!

Chapter 10

Friday. I really couldn't believe it. The last five days had seemed like a whirlwind. The wife, the kids, and the job…I don't know. It was all a little much, but by now it all felt comfortable. That was the whole point though, wasn't it? Get comfortable, see how life could be different and turn into the world's biggest bleeding-hearted panzy.

I sighed and poured myself a cup of coffee in the quiet kitchen. It was only me out of bed this morning. Gabe had still been feeling poorly when I put the kid down last night and Danny was like me in the sleeping department, so they'd both be zonked for a while longer. Layne, well, the baby was really kicking her ass. Two-Bit said she was ready to pop any day now. As selfish as it sounded, I wanted her to put it off until after I left. I don't think I could deal with her going into labor with everything else going on. What? Wouldn't you agree my life wasn't messed up enough right now without adding labor onto it? I was having a near death experience or I really had lost ten years. I think that was enough to work with for the time being.

I stifled a curse as coffee sloshed over my hand as I made my way into the living room to wait on Two-Bit. By now, you'd think I'd be used to visitors showing up here bright and early – meaning before work – since Two-Bit did every morning, but the dark haired stranger in my living room kind of threw me off. He was looking out the window and I couldn't tell if I knew him from way back when or if this was some new acquaintance I should know. Well, I had to do something – waiting for something to happen had never been my strong suit.

"Can I help you?" I asked.

He turned around stiffly and smiled at me. I nearly dropped my cup of coffee. Little Aries was all grown up and I was a little shocked at how much he looked like a slim muscled Rock with Tell's warm look. He smiled at me and visibly limped over to where I was standing.

"Hi, Mike," he greeted and I shook his hand for lack of anything better to do. "There more coffee hanging around?"

I nodded and waved towards the kitchen. He smiled at me again and made his way in there. I looked around and spotted Dodge sleeping on the couch like he didn't have a care in the world.

"You gonna let everyone but Two-Bit walk in here without a fuss?" I hissed at him and he yawned in return. "Start earning your keep."

"Since when did Layne agree to a dog?" Aries asked sitting down beside the dog and I shrugged.

"She didn't. I kind of **s**ic'd the kids on her," I explained.

"And she caved," Aries nodded, sipping his coffee. "I take it he adopted you first, though."

I nodded, sitting down in my chair and wondering when we'd gotten so comfortable around each other. Before the robbery, I couldn't stand the kid most of the time. Sure, I was getting used to him being around, but I never thought I would be sitting here having a decent conversation with him without the TV on.

"I guess he was ready to settle down with a family," Aries offered, gently stroking Dodge's damaged ear.

"So…here for the fourth?" I asked and he sent me an amused look before nodding.

"I thought Layne was the one who lost her memory when she was pregnant?" he teased.

I shrugged. Layne didn't forget everything. She just seemed to lose track of the little stuff. Like, while she was at the grocery store, she couldn't remember what we were out of and ended up pairing everything in the cupboard. She rewashed a load of clean laundry yesterday and then last night she got up twice to let the cat in even though he was clearly curled up around my feet. I'd kicked Ducky off the bed twice last night for that. His weight pulled the blankets down so I couldn't move and my toes were pointed. You'd better believe I woke up with Charlie horses through my legs because of it. I was tempted to let Dodge sleep on the bed just to make the cat leave, but between Layne getting up to pee every half hour and the cat wandering around I didn't need to add the dog into the mix. It seemed like I was better rolling over and ignoring everything so that's what I eventually ended up doing.

"I still know who you are."

We glanced up at where Layne was standing at the bottom of the stairs in her robe looking sleepy. She smiled and Aries got up to go and hug her.

"You're ripe as a plum," he pointed out.

"That's what happens when you're pregnant, Smarty." She smiled at him. "Come on in the kitchen and I'll fix you up something for breakfast."

"Nah, I'm good. Wendy fed me," Aries declined.

I didn't bother asking who Wendy was. I didn't know her, thus I didn't care if I would know her ten years later. I'd meet her when I met her and deal with it from there. I took another sip of coffee as the door opened and Dodge's head popped up. He hopped off the couch barking gruffly as Two-Bit sauntered over. He stopped barking as Two-Bit threw his coat down to make himself at home. Well, the dog got it half right at least.

"Well, I would have put on something nice if I knew the Captain was going to be here," Two-Bit stated, walking over to Aries so he could salute him.

"At ease, Two-Bit. I'm not in the Army anymore," Aries corrected with a bit of a blush.

"Still Captain in my books," Two-Bit informed him before glancing over at me and back to Aries. "Well, come on, Mike! We're going to be late."

"You have half an hour," Layne pointed out.

"Well, today there's a morning meeting about stuff that's top secret and what not," Two-Bit explained, grabbing his jacket and moving towards the door. "Sorry, can't talk about it. All sudden…and hush-hush radio…stuff. Chely set it up."

I threw him a look as he grabbed my arm and he let go of it pretty quick. I picked up my own jacket and moved towards the door.

"See ya later," I offered.

"Have a good day," Layne said, sounding miffed. "There's a couple bucks in that coat pocket if you get hungry. I don't see why this meeting couldn't wait until after breakfast."

"Me neither," I replied, thinking it was Two-Bit who would be buying breakfast this morning.

"Bye," Aries called as I closed the door and followed Two-Bit to the car.

"Care to tell me what the hell that was about?" I asked as we both got into the car.

"Just thought it would be better if I told you some more things before you had too much alone time with Aries," he replied, starting the engine. "I didn't get around to telling you everything when we talked about all this amnesia stuff last time."

I nodded. Ok, so it made sense. Didn't mean it couldn't have waited for after breakfast.

"Ok, what do I have to know?"

"Well, that's hard," he paused. "There's a lot to know."

"Start with the limp," I suggested. "What the hell did he do to himself?"

"Well, after he finished school he went on up to New York and he wasn't there more than a few months before he enlisted with the Army."

"Why the hell did he do that?" I asked, thinking it wasn'tclike him at all to do something that stupid.

"I asked him the same thing once. He looked at me and just said that 'someone had to carry the rifle and why not him?' I thought the kid was buckets of crazy, too, but he turned out to be a pretty good soldier. He lasted four tours before they caught onto the fact he could speak all those different languages and bumped his rank up before sending him back here. They based him in New York for some United Nations gig. He didn't like being away from the action, but what can you do?"

"The limp, Two-Bit," I urged and he nodded.

"Yeah. Not a year into this new rank and he got into a jeep that was tampered with. It rolled and he was pinned under it. Broke his hip in a couple places. There's a metal plate in there and everything."

"Damn," I sighed.

"Yeah, but it turns out that was the best thing for him. He was down in DC for some big army meeting or something at the time, so he ended up in the hospital there. That's where he met Cherry…again."

"Who's Cherry?" I asked, tired of all these people I didn't know.

"Well, you probably hadn't met her before the robbery. Her name is Sherri, but she's got red hair, so everyone calls her Cherry. She was a Soc from when Johnny, Aries, Steve and I went to Will Rogers High School. Her boyfriend was one of the boys who were there when Pony died," he supplied, not looking away from the road. "So we knew her from court and all that, but aside from that we didn't know her very well. She was Aries' nurse after the jeep rolled and they spent a lot of time together until his hip healed up. He asked her out and proposed that night. They got married that fall. It'll be their second anniversary this October."

"You'd think they'd hate each other," I commented, thinking I would hate her if her boyfriend killed my friend and he died in my arms.

"You know Aries. I doubt he's ever kept a grudge in his life. Hell, he even likes you and you were horrible to the kid, especially after you got shot."

"Any idea why?" I asked and he shrugged.

"You were a pretty closed off guy, Mike. Wouldn't surprise me if you were taking out everything you were keeping bottled up on the poor kid." Two-Bit shrugged pulling up in front of the bakery. "But like I said, he forgave you. If he could do that, it doesn't hit me as much of a stretch for him to forgive Cherry for being associated with Bob. She's a nice person and she's probably put up with a lot because she married him."

"I'll bet."

I can imagine it wouldn't have been easy on her. Marrying a greaser – one involved in probably the worst patch of her life – dealing with practically being family to Soda and Darry…we probably didn't help her feel anymore at home, either. She came from money. It took a long time for us to warm up to folks like that. It was pretty ironic, though.

"So the kid and I get along?" I prodded once we were in the bakery looking over the donuts and Two-Bit nodded.

"Yep. You lightened up on him right after he tried to kill himself and all that. But you two didn't start relating until about when Gabe was born. You'd write the kid twice a week and whenever he was in the country, he made a point of visiting and you two used to take a camping trip every time. Frankly, I was jealous," Two-Bit paused pointing to some chocolate covered thing at the back of the case. "You and I have never once gone camping. But after thinking long and hard about it, I figure the pair of you went out there and talked about the war and shit anyways. I don't think I'm up to three days of sharing horrible experiences, even if you two always seemed happier for it."

"And the last three days have been full of warm fuzzies…" I replied.

Two-Bit grinned and moved to pay for the three donuts he had picked out while we talked. I grabbed a couple fresh baked poppy seed muffins and a blueberry one in case Chely hadn't eaten either. It was about time we fed her anyways. Two-Bit practically lived off her cookies in the mornings if he didn't get toast off of us at home. Two-Bit, as I predicted, paid for all of it.

"So what now?" I asked as we left the bakery and got back to the car.

"Now we got to work with pastries and muffins," he answered smartly, starting the car again, and I glared at him.

"I meant about the kid being here, Doofus. No one told me he was coming. I just about had a heart attack this morning." I ran a hand through my hair. "And I don't even have anywhere to put them."

…Along with all the other stuff that I seemed to own. We had no place to put anything and I knew for a fact if we were adding a new kid to the mix, we were going to have to find a bigger house and a bigger yard and everything would have to be bigger. That and there would be no more accumulating stuff. I shook my head. This was the other me's problem. I didn't have to deal with this shit after tomorrow. Tomorrow I would be back where I belonged…I hoped.

"Well, I assume they're staying at Cherry's parents and that they'll be coming to the barbeque, so everyone's going to have to get along," he shrugged. "I didn't know they were coming. I thought Aries had some thing in Washington, but Layne did invite them."

We were quiet for a few minutes before Two-Bit made a noise like he was going to smack himself on the head for forgetting something.

"Just to warn you, Curly'll probably be at your place when we show up. He does that when Aries is in town. Won't go by Cherry's parent's place. I don't blame him. Class A Socs the pair of them. Their cook, Wendy, came from this side of town, though."

"Aries really sucks at holding a grudge, don't he?" I pointed out, thinking about how Curly Shepard had a knack of getting Aries into the worst trouble. Two-Bit nodded.

"Yeah, but when he left he didn't ask Curly to come with him. Curly never even got a good bye."

"What does Aries do now that he's not in the army?" I asked after a minute and Two-Bit smirked.

"He's a diplomat. Some of the people he served under recommended him since he speaks Russian and German and is pretty good at solving problems and stuff like that. He and Cherry see a lot of the world because of it and I think he enjoys it. He sure seems a lot happier since he broke his hip anyways." Two-Bit shrugged. "Seems a lot less self destructive."

"Self destructive?" I frowned.

"Sure. Why do you think he volunteered for the Army? They had the highest casualty rate at the time. He looked it up and calculated his chances of getting killed. He was pretty confident at the time. Four tours of combat and nothing more than hospital stays. You can bet he was pretty mad about that. Protested the promotion and everything until they threatened to sick a shrink on him."

Huh. They threaten him with a shrink and he cooperates. Welcome to the club. At least his was legitimate. My other self was just fucked in the head and there was no helping that.

I sighed and leaned back into the seat. Fuck. I wanted to go home.

* * *

Any comments are welcome and flames accepted.

See ya in the funny papers!!!

Tens and Zickachik


	11. Chapter 11

Yes, I'm updating this! Go me! What? I need all the encouragement I can get!

Disclaimer: The usual

On with the shoe!

Chapter 11

It wasn't until one that I got home that afternoon. Apparently, both Layne and I took Fridays off at the Diner. That was just fine with me. I was sick of working. I wanted one weekend to myself before I went back to work. At least it was a long weekend. Monday was a day off because of the fourth being on Saturday. I shook myself then. I wasn't even going to be here on Monday. I was a moron if I was going to allow that kind of thinking for another minute. But I did allow myself a smirk as I hopped out of Two-Bit's car – the other me was going to be missing the festivities and he would be the one who had to go back to work on Tuesday. Seemed fair to me.

I opened the front door and frowned as feminine laughter met my ears. Now, there was a woman living here, but that was one woman, singular. I was hearing more than one laugh and I knew for a fact Chely was working at the diner today. What? Layne wasn't the type to make friends with other women. She only knew three back where I belonged and she only associated with two of them. I think I had a right to be suspicious. The laughter was coming from the kitchen, so I went in there and stopped in the doorway. There was Layne and the other gal had red hair. Whoever had let two redheads get together was insane. And somehow I knew I was the one who hadn't put my foot down. I was definitely not wearing the pants in this relationship.

"Hi, Honey," Layne greeted with a smile, waving me over.

She had a pile of clothes on the table that she was sewing while the other gal drank coffee. Layne was in the middle of a stitch and didn't look like she was about to get up, so it looked like I was going to have to come to her. So I made my way over and she pulled me down for a kiss. That still weirded the hell out of me. I pulled away and Layne smiled at me like I was wonderful. If only she knew how not wonderful I really was.

"Hi, Mike," the other girl offered in the local accent just slightly refined from being away for some period of time.

"Hi," I offered, turning my attention to Layne. "Need some help?"

Layne nodded and moved the pile of socks, shirts, and jeans over so I could get at them, too. I'd been taught as a kid how to do this since Pop wasn't about to buy me anything. I had to make my clothes last as long as possible. I sewed better than Layne, but from the looks of what she had already gotten sewn, she was better now than when she was seventeen. I noticed the other redhead – probably Cherry – didn't make a move to help. You could take the Soc out of the neighborhood, but you couldn't take the neighborhood out of the Soc.

"Cherry was just telling me about when she and Aries were in Brazil last month," Layne commented and I shrugged not even wanting to know what the hell they'd been talking about. But it looked like she was going to tell me anyway. "They didn't know a single thing about the Brazilian customs and that got them into a bit of trouble with the locals."

"Well, that was half the fun, according to Aries," Cherry shook her head. "He has the oddest sense of what's fun. Most of the people he knows do, too."

What she was saying was that she put up with Aries, but his less desirable qualities were shared with us. His weird quirks were our fault. Well, fuck her too.

"Where are the kids?" I asked instead of telling her to go to hell.

"Down the street playing with the Parkin boys. Molly and John said they'd feed them lunch and bring them home around suppertime. In return, we're watching Collin and Sean next week for a while."

Yet more people I neither knew nor cared about. I was saved from saying anything when the front door closed and footsteps came towards the kitchen. A moment later, Curly Shepard stuck his head through the front door and it was closely followed by his arm attached to a case of beer.

"Hey Mike. Just in time for a Miller," Curly said, smiling like an idiot. "Where's brain boy?"

"Sitting out back with the dog," Cherry supplied, looking at Curly like he was something she highly disapproved of.

Now, not approving of Curly was something I could see. He seemed to have straightened out in the last ten years, but he was still Curly Shepard. Cherry'd probably heard all the stories about how he got Aries drunk just after he got here and then high and alone the night Pony…well, died. Something told me there were more incidents around those two. Something also told me Aries didn't need a Miller. Curly, though. Curly needed the company. Beer was how the Shepards did companionship. He seemed lit up and happy and I wondered how many friends he had these days. He had always been Tim's shadow, the baby of the Shepard gang. I hadn't heard anything about any of them since I got here. Tim was either in jail or dead, the rest of the boys either on the same path or recruited into the rougher gangs like the Tiber Street Tigers and the River Kings. Where did that leave Curly? Hell, I didn't even like Curly, but the future me seemed to have come to an understanding with him. How the hell did that end up happening? I made a mental note to ask Two-Bit. I really hated relying on him for this shit. But it did beat going it alone.

"Miller," Curly repeated, waving the case in front of my face. "You. Me. Brain boy. Drink. Get drunk. Have good time. Embarrass self in front of pretty wife."

"Stop trying to be smart," I growled at him.

"Come on, Mike. If anyone needs to unwind, it's obviously you," he pointed out, patting my shoulder like we were buddies. "Up and out to the deck."

"Go on," Layne urged. "I'll let you help me with the sewing later."

I nodded and sighed before following Curly out onto the deck. Aries was staring off into space with the dog half sitting in his lap. He was running his hand through the black fur and looked a million miles away until Curly patted him hard on the shoulder. Dodge was up in a second barking and growling at Curly.

"Dodge," I warned and he growled for a moment before he stopped and came over to stand beside my feet.

I scratched behind his ear. He hadn't done anything I wasn't thinking of doing. Dogs had good instincts. If he hadn't picked up on the fact I wasn't comfortable with Curly, than he was out to protect Aries while he was off in his own head. All in all, the dog was turning out to be a good pick.

"Dog's new," Curly pointed out; pulling a few bottles from the case he was carrying. He waved one in front of Aries and he took it, smirking at Curly.

"Thanks, Curly. Cherry doesn't let me drink though. You know that." He set the beer down, looking back towards the fence.

"Doesn't _let_ you drink?" Curly asked with a frown. "You wear the pants. You don't need nobody to tell you what you can and can't do."

"And how is your marriage to Sylvia fairing?" Aries asked sagely.

Curly sighed and flopped down on the deck step beside Aries, running a hand through his hair as soon as he was sitting. He looked off towards the fence and blew out a long breath of air.

I sat down on a chair and popped open a beer. If they wanted to have a talk about feelings and shit I needed a beer.

"She's two timin' me and doesn't think I know about it."

Aries nodded and Curly reached for the beer Aries had discarded. He popped the cap and took a long drink. I thought it served him right for settling down with a gal that had a reputation like Sylvia's. If I had to bet, I'd say this wasn't the first time Sylvia Jones or Shepard, I guess now, had cheated on Curly.

"You know, I shouldn't have any right to be surprised. I mean, she was two timin' Max Hammond from Brumly when I got her pregnant."

Yeah. That explained a lot. Everyone knew Sylvia was going to end up pregnant and then married, but the question was always a matter of who the guy would be. I guess the answer was Curly.

"Well, be thankful you only have six years under your belt," Aries commented. "Imagine having a deeper history. Say twenty years only to find out she's cheating."

"She's still cheating. It's illegal," Curly added.

"Why do you think she's doing it?" Aries asked and Curly smirked.

"For a big tip."

"I was being serious, Shepard," Aries sighed.

"So was I. In the old days she gave it out for free, but now…I dunno. Her make up is nicer, her hair is done up and she seems to have more clothes than we have money for."

"Perhaps she's dressing like that to get your attention," Aries suggested.

"Yeah, and you're my fairy godmother. C'mon, Aries. You usually have the best advice. Put that big brain to use."

Maybe if Curly had have laid off the drugs, booze, and hits to the head, he could put his own brain to use…

"Well, I know that I would want to know early on if Cherry was cheating on me. You know, before we have kids to fight over," Aries paused. "Why don't you just tell Sylvia you know?"

"Because then she'd find something to throw back at me. Like how I get hammered every time you come into town. She'd blame that sure as shootin'." Curly shook his head.

"Well, don't get drunk this time," I advised.

They both looked over at me and I shrugged. Seriously, it made the most sense to me. If you didn't want someone bitching about you because of something then you avoided doing it so they had nothing to bitch at you for. Did they not live with their own women to teach them that?

"Mike makes a good point," Aries said, sounding surprised.

Curly glanced at the bottle of booze in his hand and then back at me. I shrugged and took a sip of my own. He looked like we were proposing he hold up a shop in broad daylight across the road from the fuzz. I didn't think it sounded that crazy. Besides, the Curly I knew ten years ago would have gone for that robbery in a heartbeat.

"For the record, have you two even _met_ Sylvia? Honestly, if you keep thinking the way you obviously are, you don't know her at all."

"That's the problem, Curly. We don't know her the way you do. You managed to romance her once," Aries pointed out and Curly laughed dryly.

"We got drunk and had some fun without protection. Next thing we know Dennis is born and she's got me listed as the pop…" Curly sighed. "There was no time to romance her, even if I had've been stupid enough to try."

"Well, that's what she's telling you. She wants some romance, Chucky."

Curly threw me a dirty look and I took another swig of my beer. Well, she did. She could have had any guy on the east side that'd been in her bed. She could have fingered any of them as the kid's pop, but she picked Curly. Now, after six years of Curly, I would be looking for someone that actually showed some excitement, talked to me, appreciated me and everything I did for him and the family and... Damn, I was spending too much time with Layne. I was starting to sound like the understanding schmuck husband.

"That or she wants you to pick the fight that ends it," I shrugged and Curly groaned.

"Now _that_ sounds like Sylvia."

Aries looked between the two of us, running his fingers through his hair. For the first time, I noticed that he was wearing a long sleeved shirt in this heat. He put his hand back on his knee, careful to keep the sleeves low enough to cover most of his hands. I knew why. Even if Two-Bit had never told me he tried to kill himself, I would have known. The only question was were the scars across the wrist or up the arms?

"Curly, the best suggestion to come out of this conversation is that you talk to her," Aries pointed out.

"You really don't know Sylvie at all. She's never been one for talk. We either fight or fuck. That's our relationship."

Now this was headed into waters I wanted nothing to do with. Aries and Curly, being the good friends they were, could talk about this when I was gone.

"Well, fuck then," I suggested, draining the beer. "At least, you'll have a good time."

"You ok?" Curly asked looking over his shoulder at me. "'Cause you're usually the strong silent type when it comes to talking and shit."

"The wife's pregnant." I shrugged and they both nodded. I was getting too good at this lying thing.

"Well," Curly sighed as he stood up from the step. "I have to go and pick up Dennis or she'll really rip my balls off. Stop by the DX before you leave town?"

"Yeah, of course," Aries replied with a nod.

Curly smiled and nodded back before heading for the back gate.

"Keep that beer cold for me," he called.

Yeah, sure. Like we were going to do that. I was going to dump them just to spite Culry. It wasn't like those redheads were going to let Aries and I drink 'em anyways. I still couldn't believe Aries actually listened to that little Soc, especially after everything I'd been told…

"Something wrong?" Aries asked and I looked over at where he had turned fully to face me.

"No. Just thinking on the past," I replied.

"That's a dangerous path to venture," he offered and I nodded.

"Yeah." I shrugged, standing up from the hard chair as Aries waited for me to say something more.

I wasn't up for Aries' brand of deep and insightful today. If he thought I was going to give him anything more to go on, he really didn't know me all that well. Well, the past me.

Aries finally looked back at the yard and towards the east side where we used to live. I could tell he was lost in the past, too. Something told me it was more dangerous for him than for me. I said once that I didn't think. Aries was probably wishing he had that problem. He pulled his shirtsleeves down again and I frowned. I was going to have to think up something to say to the kid. Lord knows it was probably my fucking responsibility, too. For right now I had nothing except 'suck it up and quit acting like a baby'. That had never worked in the past with him. So I opened the back door to the sounds of redhead laughter. Apparently they got along well. And apparently the other me allowed this. I'd obviously forgotten over the years how two redheads could really make a mess of things when you left them to it. They smiled over at me and giggled some more. I didn't bother trying to figure out what was so funny. I think that made them laugh even harder.

Oh, I so needed to get the hell out of this reality. The other me was soft and affectionate and got laughed at here. I grimaced at the thought of being so whipped and stalked through the kitchen to the TV. I flipped it on and flopped down in my chair. This move had worked for me countless times before and now I needed a little distraction more than ever. Fuck, tomorrow couldn't come soon enough.

* * *

Any comments at all are welcome and flames are accepted!

See ya in the funny papers!!!

Tens and Zickachik


	12. Chapter 12

Ok, this was originally something I skipped, but Zickachik suggested something should happen between all the stuff I have planned. So filler!

Disclaimer: The usual

On with the shoe!

Chapter 12

Sometime after I flopped down in front of the TV, I fell asleep in front of it. It was after five when I woke up. Layne was humming in the kitchen and it was obvious that our company had left. I groaned and stretched in the chair until I had enough sand out of my eyes to get up. I shuffled into the kitchen where Layne had new batches of ripped clothing in front of her. She probably hadn't been at it all day because I doubted we had that much clothing hanging around for her to sew. I at least hoped not. If that was the case, then that would explain why we didn't seem to have any money. I yawned and leaned on the table before tiredly reaching for a red sock. It was too small to fit either of us and the grass stains clearly gave away the boys. Most of the clothes were grass stained. I looked out the window at the burnt grass in the back yard and wondered where they had been playing and how much those people spent on their water bill.

"Have a good nap?" Layne asked after a few minutes.

I nodded threading the spare needled to get to work on the sock. Who cared if the string wasn't red? The boys obviously didn't care about what color their socks ended up.

So, together, we sat there and sewed. Back when we first left New York, we always sat down at the kitchen table and sewed socks and shirts and any other piece of clothing that needed it all in one go. It was relaxing and comfortable, even if we didn't say a word to each other. We just never got around to it in Tulsa, ten years ago. With the Curtis boys and the rest of the gang always dropping by, work, Mr. Tallowate visiting, and Aries needing his sister's attention, there was never time to just sit down and sew together like this. I wondered when we started up this routine again. If I had to guess, I'd say probably after the kids were born. I was willing to bet every sock they owned – that weren't currently on their feet at the moment – had been on the table today and we still weren't done. When five thirty hit, Layne got up and pulled a tray from the freezer that she put into the oven. It was a small one, so I assumed it would just feed the pair of us. Good, it was about time we got a meal in peace. All week, either the kids or Two-Bit had been here for every meal we ate and they wanted to talk about every uninteresting thing under the sun. I nodded towards the stove as Layne sat down.

"Stroganoff," she answered. "And this one has pickles in it."

I shrugged. She'd made it with pickles every other damn time she'd made it. I assumed the kids didn't like it that way, so they got their way or something. I wasn't interested enough to ask. As long as it was food, I was good to go. I was hungry since I never did get to eat lunch.

"So, when did your brother leave?" I asked finally and she smirked.

"About an hour after you decided company was not appreciated."

"Sorry." I shrugged. I was anything but sorry. She saw right through me and shook her head.

"You needed the sleep," she stated. "And Cherry and I ran out of things to talk about, like we usually do."

I shrugged a little, tying off the thread on the sock. It wasn't my best work, but I didn't think the boys would notice the difference.

"Boys home?" I asked and she shook her head.

"Collin and Sean wanted a sleep over. Since we had family over, last they heard anyway, the Parkins offered to have it there."

I nodded, picking up another sock to work on. They were tiny. Most of the sock was a hole, but you used what you had. We slipped back into silence and I knew then that this little adventure was beginning to take its toll on me. The silence didn't seem comfortable any more. I wanted to make noise. So I made freaking conversation.

"Have a nice visit with Cherry?" I asked and Layne looked thoughtful.

"Yes, I did. She got me thinking about the baby."

"What about it?" I asked, literally sewing a patch for this stupid sock.

"Well, the name. She says when she and Aries have children, they'll name a son after her brother who died in Vietnam." She set the shirt she was sewing down. "It got me thinking about who we were naming the baby after."

I sighed and set the sock down. I knew that tone. She was thinking a lot on this name thing. This was why you did not let a couple of redheads get together.

"And?" I prodded.

"Finnian was my grandfather's name. That was the same one who tried to get me hitched at 16 and cut me off when I married you instead. And Jillian…you didn't even like your mother."

I shrugged. "So?"

"Well, we should name him or her after someone we like."

Well, that would make sense. "Any idea who you'd pick out of the ten people we know?"

"Well, yeah. If it's a boy, we should name him after your bother."

I glanced at her and wondered if her brain was complete mush. My brother was a no account New York hood. That and he got the shit end of the stick when it came to names. And she wanted to pass that onto another kid? There was a president named that once, but this kid was a Garren. It was more than likely that he'd take after his uncle than a dead president.

"You want another Andrew Jackson Garren running around?" I asked "Or would we just call him Ajax, like his uncle who probably wouldn't give a shit what we called him?"

"Well, no. I thought we could go with something similar," she replied, frowning at me "Maybe just 'Jack'."

"As in my boss, Jack?" I asked and she really frowned at me "Well, ex-boss."

"If you don't like Jack, you could just say so," she said, getting up to check on dinner.

"I like Jack," I told her.

Really? I didn't care. The kid's name could be Pluto for all I cared.

"Fine. Jack Flynn. Now, girl." Layne came to sit back down.

I sighed. I didn't' know any girly names.

"Layne, I have no idea what makes a nice girl name."

"Yeah?" she asked, looking down at the table with folded arms. "That makes two of us."

"So you're putting me through hell with this whole name thing when you have no clue yourself?" I snapped and she looked sharply at me.

"Is it so much to ask you for help?" she replied and I wanted to wince. "I'm the one who's carrying the baby. I had both the boys. You have no clue. God, my best dreams are the ones where you wake up pregnant."

"I wake up how?" I asked, not impressed she would even go there.

"Don't change the subject."

"What subject? We're both clueless parents. Big deal." I shrugged. "The way I see it, we're doing a hell of a lot better than our parents did."

"Damn, I hate it when you're right."

That was the first cuss word I'd heard out of her since this all started. She didn't acknowledge it, so I left it alone.

"Well, we'll just have to cross that bridge when we come to it," she stated and I nodded. "Now, after dinner, I need you to go and bring the boys' PJs to them and then you can get the potatoes and eggs going for the salad."

I felt like pointing out that she may be the one having the kids, but I was the one who did most of the work around here.

"I thought the salad was your job?" I asked and she shrugged.

"You and I both know who the better cook is in this relationship." She smirked.

And this was the first time things seemed normal since all of this happened. We'd always had conversations like this. Layne always volunteered me for things way back when. I was the better cook and she was the smarter one all around. It made me want to get back to my own time something fierce - back when it was just the pair of us and we had fights and conversations about things without stopping to spell the words so little ears wouldn't understand them. And to think the other me was ok with that. I shook my head and watched as Layne pulled dinner from the oven and smiled over at me. Well, even I had to admit that the future me could have had it lot worse.

* * *

Told ya it was a filler. Should have mentioned it was short. Oh well.

Any comments at all are welcome and flames accepted.

See ya in the funny papers!!!

Tens and Zickachik


	13. Chapter 13

An update! Go me! Yeah, I really need to think up something original to put here...

Disclaimer: The usual

On with the show

Chapter 13

Early the next afternoon, we picked up the boys and headed for the south side of town. Of course, that was after we got ten blocks from home and Layne remembered she'd forgotten the damn potato salad so we had to turn around and get it. By the time we made it out to Steve's, we were half an hour late. I didn't care. I was lucky Two-Bit had given me good enough directions to find the place, no matter what time we arrived. It was still early in the afternoon, so I figured we were doing just fine. I'd learned long ago that arguing with Layne was pointless, though. If she said we were late, we were late.

Steve and Chely lived off a large park. They had a large yard and I had to wonder how Steve of all people managed to afford the place. The house was a fair size as well. I just shook my head and grabbed the salad. For all I knew, this was a dream and Steve was going to end up in a cardboard shack somewhere.

Layne let herself right into the house without knocking. The boys followed and I brought up the rear with Dodge at my heel.

"Chely," Layne called.

"In the kitchen," she replied. "Did you bring the potato salad?"

"Yes. Mike nearly forgot it, though."

I glared at her back. _I_ nearly forgot it? I asked her to grab it while I was wrestling the dog into the back of the car. I was the one who went back for the damn thing. I would have pointed that out, too, but it just wasn't worth starting a fight over. So I followed Layne into the kitchen where Chely was standing at the counter ripping up leaves for a salad.

"Moss and Donny are out in the tree house," she told the boys "Have a cookie and go play."

"Thanks, Auntie Chely!" Gabe yelped, grabbing a cookie and practically vibrating with happiness.

Christ, it was just a cookie. If one of these kids was more like me, it was Daniel. Danny followed his brother's lead with a little more calmness and ate the cookie like it was nothing more than a cookie.

"Can we go, Mom?" Danny asked and Layne nodded. Both boys darted for the door then.

"Be careful!" Layne shouted after them and Danny nodded as the door closed behind him.

"The tree house is perfectly safe," Chely said, watching them out the window.

"Until you get all nine of them up there with sugar in their systems," Layne commented back.

"It'll only be seven this year," Chely corrected.

"You're kidding," Layne replied, not sounding impressed.

"Nope. Soda showed up here last night. Lynne changed her mind and took the kids to her parents for the weekend."

Now is when I actually needed Two-Bit to translate. I was sick of everyone assuming I knew what was going on. If I had to guess, Sodapop was having a hard time with the wife and was here without family. Good for him. He might actually have some fun.

"Mike, would you go tell Gabe not to lean so far over the rail, please?" Layne asked and I nodded. I knew when I was being kicked out for a little girl talk.

So I opened the back door and watched as Dodge trotted down the steps to the grass. He started running around like a damn puppy. Stupid dog was acting like we kept him cooped up or something. Our back yard wasn't that small. It was smaller than this one, but that wasn't the point.

I wandered over to the base of the giant tree Steve had used to build the tree house in and yelled up at the kids to be careful before their mothers had heart attacks. That seemed to amuse them greatly and I sighed. Even the kids thought I was a pushover.

"Hey Mike!" Steve waved me over to where the garage door was open.

I'd never heard of anyone having a garage in their back yard, but upon closer inspection, it opened up onto the back alley and was one of those ones with a door on each side, but you could only open one at a time. Whoever thought the design up was a moron. Steve wasn't going to drive in his back yard, so he didn't need a door on this side…you know, this is about when I tell myself to shut up and count the hours until I get back where I belong.

I strolled over to where both Steve and Soda were bent over the engine of a '65 Mustang. Man that brought me back. I knew the ins and outs of that model better than I knew myself. Soda glanced up at me and smirked. Yeah, he knew.

"Hey Mike," he greeted. "How've you been?"

"Fine," I replied. "You look tired."

He did. Tired and older. His hair was shorter, his eyes had dark circles under them and he slumped like he hadn't slept in a week. The thing that hit me was that he looked a lot more like his father now that he was more grown up. No, he looked like Darry back when he was working himself to the bone to keep Ponyboy and Soda fed right after the funeral. Knowing how Darry stood in this time, I didn't bother to point that one out.

"Thanks, Mike." Soda smiled and Steve shook his head at the pair of us.

"So, like I was saying to Soda before you came along, his mother-in-law has nothing on mine," Steve said, catching me up with the conversation he wanted to have. "He calls up last night and just wailed to Chely for an hour about piglets or something."

"Think it's menopause?"

"Can men go through menopause?" Steve asked, looking up from the engine to where Sodapop was shrugging.

"Has the word 'men' in it, so why not?"

I just kept my eyes on the engine and twisted the distributor cap tight. The less I knew, the better.

After I had had my long talk with Two-Bit about what was going on with everyone, I had considered that knowing what was going to happen was a bad thing. Then I told myself that I should know as much as possible since it was all being handed to me on a silver platter in the shape of Two-Bit's mouth. Sure, it appeared he left out anything he didn't find important, but for the most part I knew more than I probably should have. This talk about male menopause was something I could do without, though.

"Well, that makes old age all the more appealing," Steve drawled. "So, Mike. Excited?"

"For what?" I asked, looking over the headlight balance.

"For what?" Steve chuckled. "Guy's gonna be a dad again any day now and he needs to ask what there is to be excited about."

"Sure," I said with a shrug. "That fan belt is about to fall apart."

"I know, I have a new one over there on the bench," Steve replied. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Never better," I muttered, wiping my greased right hand on the rag sitting on top of the engine block.

"Alright." Steve shook his head and wiped his own hands, looking out towards the backyard. "Moss! Don't hang upside down!"

The kid ignored him and Steve sighed, looking back over the engine. Well, no wonder he wasn't a very good dad. Mine would have beaten me if I ignored him like that and didn't get a head start running.

"Hey!" I yelled and all the kids looked at me. "Your dad told you to do something."

All four of them gave me a slack jawed look before Moss or Mark or whatever the hell they called the kid straightened up and quit hanging by his legs. Well, at least someone listened to me. Steve gave me a long look I couldn't read before Sodapop practically pushed past us and distracted the pair of us from our silent staring contest.

"Hi Johnny!" he greeted. "Let's see him!"

I turned to look at where there was an older, more confident version of the Johnny Cade I knew. He wasn't a kicked puppy anymore. Getting out of Tulsa apparently agreed with him. He was smiling and showing off something in his arms to Soda. I shook my head then, recalling Two-Bit said something about a new baby. So Johnny was a father. Been there and done that twice now, apparently. Soda and Steve had been there and done that, too, but even Steve was sauntering over for a look. I sighed and figured I'd follow the rest of the herd.

"You named him yet?" Steve asked as Soda ran a finger over the baby's cheek.

"Well, we sort of have, but we wanted to ask you first," Johnny replied, deepened voice throwing me off.

He looked up at me with old, but happy eyes. He smiled slightly before blushing and looking down at the sleeping baby in his arms.

"We were…well, we were thinking we'd call him Michael," he finally got out. "For a first name."

I blinked. Well, I wasn't expecting that.

"I mean, so it's different," Johnny said, looking over at Sodapop who seemed to have sobered up at some point during the conversation.

"Michael Ponyboy Cade," Soda said, clearing his throat a little. "I like it."

Johnny seemed to relax a lot then and smiled at Sodapop. Soda held his arms out for the baby and had Michael cuddled to his chest a moment later. Soda smiled, the sobered look disappearing, as he was busy being a big chick.

Johnny hugged Steve who was giving him congratulations. He finally parted from Steve and did the same to me. I awkwardly returned it.

"Uh, congratulations," I offered.

"Thanks," Johnny said with a smile plastered on his face. "I can't believe I'm a dad."

"It doesn't take much," I told him and he chuckled a little. "So, the kid going to go by Little Mike or something?"

Poor kid…

"Nah, we'll just call you Old Man Mike," Two-Bit offered, coming over to look over Sodapop's shoulder at Michael. "Congrats, Johnny. He's just as ugly as his old man, but his momma's still a hot piece of tail, baby fat or no."

Johnny chuckled and accepted a hug from Two-Bit a moment later. I hoped to hell that we weren't girly enough to spend our get togethers hugging and talking about our feelings.

"You'd better not let Rachel hear you," Johnny warned. "Or you might never eat again."

"You think so?" Two-Bit said in mock hopefulness as Steve shook his head.

"You think he eats now? Rachel couldn't cook if she had Mike in the other room hollering instructions to her," Steve offered.

"Hey, come on, now. Mike got Sevrin cooking that way. I'm sure he could order Rachel into making something tasty," Soda defended.

"Yeah, you get to eat it," Two-Bit told him. "Chrissie! Tommy! Careful up there. I'm not going stop drinking early if you fall outta that thing!"

Both his kids rolled their eyes and kept on climbing up to the tree house where the rest of their…cousins were waiting. Yeah, life was odd enough without figuring that one out. I mean, we were a bunch of friends. At some point, we'd become a family and not being a part of that shift just made everything seem creepy. I was Uncle Mike and I didn't even have nieces or nephews that I knew of.

Dodge was leaning against my leg a minute later and I reached a hand down to scratch his ear. It beat thinking.

"Come on and wash up," Steve offered, leading the way back to the house.

I fell back beside Two-Bit and threw him what I hoped was a meaningful look.

"Well, that's Johnny and his baby. He and Lisa got married two years ago right around when Aries and Cherry did. He said they were going to name the baby after Ponyboy."

"They did," I said, climbing the steps. "But backwards."

"That's going to be weird." He shook his head. "Uh, I didn't see Shayne or Larissa with the rest of the kids, so I figure Lynette and Soda are fighting again and she won."

"Good for Sodapop," I replied and Two-Bit shrugged.

"We love our kids, Mike, even when we can't stand their lovely mothers," Two-Bit said going in through the door. "Anything else?"

"Steve's mother-in-law…"

"Ah. Her father raised her with his boyfriend or life mate or whatever they want to be called. I really don't get that whole gay thing; it makes me shiver, but apparently no one cares where they live or they keep it really well hidden. I'm pretty sure they'd get killed if they ever came to visit for more than a few days. Hell, we only know because Steve needs people to complain to."

Yeah, the whole idea of actually letting everyone know they were…you know…seemed pretty revolutionary to me. The fact Two-Bit was ok with it…I had the feeling that took years and he wasn't, but he was being polite. Hell, I was from California and later New York, probably two of the most liberal places out there, and it creeped me out.

"Anyways, Chely calls him Mom," Two-Bit supplied. "If you ask me, he deserves it. He acts like a freaking chick."

I just shook my head and Two-Bit patted my shoulder in a consoling way.

"Things'll get better once you remember again."

I didn't bother answering that. Things would only be better when I was back where or when I belonged.

We walked into the full kitchen and I made my way over to where Layne was sitting beside Aries. He had the baby now and seemed pleased. I didn't see his redhead and figured that was a good thing with one hormonal redhead here already. Layne was practically leaning half out of her chair to get a good look at Michael. She glanced at me and smiled, putting a hand on her own stomach. I tried not to grimace. I honestly didn't think I would ever be ready for kids and having them thrust upon me didn't help. So sorry if I didn't share her enthusiasm…

Steve pressed a beer into my hand and I took a swig. Two-Bit, Johnny and Steve joined me, along with Chely, surprisingly.

"Happy fourth!" Steve toasted and we all chorused.

Aries handed the baby off to a pretty dark haired girl and watched with a wistful smile on his face as she cuddled it and started up a conversation with Chely about something. Everyone was talking and making merry but the two of us. So it didn't really surprise me when I was the only one who noticed he'd slipped out the back door. I followed after him and wasn't surprised that the dog was practically in his lap again as he sat on the deck. Well, if this wasn't familiar. What? Did he like decks now or something?

I sat down beside him and he watched the kids as he curled a hand in the dog's black fur.

"Go up there and play with them," I suggested after a few minutes of him staring a hole through the bottom of that tree house.

He looked over at me and then down at the grass. "Don't tease me."

I blinked. What the hell was he on about?

"Tease you?"

"You know the kids are scared of me."

I gave him a blank look. He pulled at his left sleeve again and I sighed to myself. God, he was proving to be even more annoying as an adult than a teen.

"They are not scared of you."

"Yes, they are," he replied. "Scarred, limping Uncle Aries. And I don't blame them."

"How would they know you're scarred? You never wear anything with short sleeves," I pointed out.

"No, and for good reason," he said, rubbing his arm self-consciously. "They avoid me enough as it is."

"Did you ever think they're afraid of you because you're the creepy guy who keeps on pulling his sleeves down for no reason?" I asked and he glared at me. "Not to mention this feeling sorry for yourself shit. How exactly did you make it through the army again?"

"They thought it was shrapnel scarring," he said evenly.

"The kids could handle that."

"Mike, drop it, will you?"

"Why? It's making you miserable."

"Talking about it is making me even more miserable."

"I doubt that. You know, I may know shit-all about relationships, but this is something I know. There's no point in covering up your scars. If you can deal with your own scars, you can do pretty much anything."

"Like you deal with that bullet wound?" he asked and I shrugged.

"I'll take my shirt off if you will."

"I can't do that."

"Why not? The sleeves are a dead give away to anyone who doesn't know what's under them for sure," I pointed out. "And an old scar doesn't mean you're weak. It shows that you're stronger than you once were. Every guy in New York with a rep worth showing off knows that."

I took a long drink of my beer and waved back to where Gabe was frantically flapping a hand at me in greeting. God, kids were annoying, especially that one.

"Mike?"

I glanced at where Aries was practically griping Dodge's fur in the death grip and offered him a grunt of acknowledgment.

"You mean it about the shirt?"

"Yep."

"Thanks."

I shrugged and hauled myself up off the deck. Man, we'd only been here an hour and I'd already been under the hood of a car, told off Steve's kid, been completely thrown off balance by Johnny, and now I was making bets. At this rate, I'd have amateur space travel figured out by dinner and be on the Moon before bed.

And you know, I would have traded every bit of it for things to be back to normal again.

* * *

Little did Mike know they walked on the Moon in 1969... 

Any comments are welcome and flames are accepted!

See ya in the funny papers!!!

Tens and Zickachik


	14. Chapter 14

Hey! Blue moon shining! Yes...I know, bad Tens, but I assure you after my 4 papers due this week, I will get my butt in gear and get things done. Until then, tada!

Disclaimer: The usual

Chapter 14

It was later on in the afternoon when the baby was down for a nap and everyone was busy bullshitting or tinkering that there was a heavy knock on the front door. Chely made eye contact with me and nodded towards the front room. I sighed, figuring I was closest to the front door as it was, but it was like she trusted me. I didn't know what to make of that.

I didn't have much time to think on it. Dodge was standing by the door, looking alert and I waved him back so I could open it. I looked up once it was open and tilted my head slightly to meet Darry Curtis' eyes. They'd aged, but they weren't as icy as I had expected with everything Two-Bit had told me.

"Hi Mike," he greeted and Dodge growled in warning.

"Curtis," I replied.

"The dog's new," he offered, looking over at where the mutt was pressed up against my leg. "Yours?"

"Dad!"

I recognized a small-person whine when I heard it and glanced at a kid of maybe seven or eight hiding behind Darry's right leg.

"Yours?" I asked in the same tone and Darry gave me a dirty look. "Dodge, go lay down."

The dog gave one last growl before making himself at home on Chely's couch. I stepped back from the door and Darry came in with his kid still attached to his pants. Both Darry and I studied each other for a moment. He was still taller than me, he still looked like a killjoy, but he had muscles like he did ten years ago, too. I made a mental note not lean on his nerves too much tonight. The kid who was looking up at me with wide eyes looked a lot like Darry, but I recognized his grandmother's eyes. I was about to turn away and rejoin people I seemed to get along with, when someone grabbed my arm.

"Hi Mike, how are you?"

I glanced at the blonde on my arm and gave her a look I hoped meant something along the lines of 'what do you think you're doing?' She seemed to ignore it, though, because the next thing I knew, she'd pulled me out the front door, letting it close with a bang behind us.

"Alright, Daddy – tell me everything," she suggested and I was completely lost.

"About what?" I asked and she laughed.

"You're funny. The baby's nearly due! You look about as cheerful as someone going to a funeral."

"What's it to you?" I asked and she smirked a little.

"Well, you know me and babies," she answered, giving me a long look. "And I know _you_ and babies."

"I've had two," I agreed, not seeing where any of this conversation was going.

"Ok, I'll cut the crap. I talked with Layne a couple days ago. She says you're acting weird – weirder than you did when you took off right before Danny was born. So if you have anything to get off your chest before it comes to that, Steve's porch is a good place to talk," she offered.

I made the connection then. This must have been Darry's wife – Maureen. Two-Bit said that she was some sort of motivational counselor or something. She's gotten Darry through the rough patch after he left Tulsa with an alcohol addiction and married him even. Apparently, she thought it was healthy for Darry to have interaction with his 'family' and so he was here, even though it was iffy if anyone wanted him to be. She apparently felt comfortable with us, even if Darry seemed about as stiff as molasses in January.

I could already tell she was pushy. She was a little bit of a thing, which meant she had attitude out the ying yang if she'd survived so far pulling on tough guys' arms. Two-Bit said she reminded him of Barbara Streisand - whoever that was - but without the nose. She was reminding me of a pushy Golden Retriever, if anything.

And she was looking at me expectantly, so I sighed and tried to come up with some bullshit answer that would get her off my back.

"I'm alright. Layne's the one who's gone scatterbrained," I pointed out. "I'm just dealing with stuff at work right now."

"Ah. And why did you think it was ok to bust a guy's jaw?" she asked and I shrugged.

"Stress relief."

She chuckled and shook her head. She seemed like an ok person, even if she did force conversation. At least she seemed to have a good sense of humor. No wonder Two-Bit thought she was such a great lady.

"Alright, I could see that. Just promise me you'll pick up a phone next time before you lose the only job out there that keeps Keith out of trouble, ok?"

I nodded and she latched onto my arm again and led me back into the house, probably thinking that she wasn't going to get anything else out of me. She was right if that was the case.

"Now, I hear there's a baby hanging around. What did they finally settle on?" Maureen asked and I shrugged.

"Michael Ponyboy Cade," I replied and she nodded.

"Good, that's good. I was afraid Johnny wouldn't go through with it," she stated and paused when we got to the entryway to the kitchen. "Would you look at that? You'd swear they married each other instead of us."

I glanced over at where Darry and Layne were sitting together talking and smiling like there wasn't anyone else in the room. I rolled my eyes. Maureen didn't sound jealous, so it didn't sound like this was anything but typical for the pair of them.

Darry's kid was standing by us a moment later. His eyes widened at my glance and he hid behind his mother's skirts. Finally, someone who appreciated I was a threat and not some big, tamed teddy bear that growled but didn't bite.

Yeah, I was feeling like that lately. I spent years building up my rep only to see it trampled by 'family'. If I ever got out of this hell, I wasn't sure if I'd ever want have one if it meant I lost my status like this. Oh how the mighty had fallen, and the mighty was resentful. Shut up, I've read books.

"Sean, say hi to your uncle Mike," Maureen suggested, but there was a definite headshake. "That's odd, he usually likes you."

I didn't say anything to that and made my way back over to the table I'd left my beer on. I had it picked up when Steve thumped me on the back, hard.

"Come on, football time."

Football. I could deal with sitting down for a little football. But Steve was waving me through the back door and I caught on pretty fast.

"I'll pass," I told him and he gave me an odd look.

"Come on, this is tradition," Steve told me and looked over at Soda for conformation.

"He's right. Every year, rain or shine." Soda nodded.

"Afraid of losing, Garren?" Maureen asked me, looking amused and I frowned, taking a swig of beer.

"Let's go," I growled and Sodapop smiled as he followed Steve into the back yard.

Two-Bit was already out there, his head tilted back so he could talk to the kids in the tree house.

"Ok, now you all do what I told ya and there will be cookies after dinner," he promised, causing both Soda and Steve to frown.

"Two-Bit, if my wife has to smack you," Steve warned and Two-Bit smiled like crazy.

"With what? Fried chicken? Biscuits?" he asked and Steve shoved him playfully.

"With her shoe, if she didn't think you'd eat that, too," Steve replied. "Ok, same teams as last year?"

"Yeah, that should work," Johnny agreed, coming to stand at my shoulder. "Except Layne can't play this year. We should give them Soda and take Chely."

"How's that fair?" Steve asked, frowning.

"They have Aries," Johnny replied.

"So?"

"We have Darry."

"Give them Darry," Steve argued.

"Then we'd have to take Two-Bit," Johnny argued and Steve rolled his eyes.

I blinked. Since when did Johnny argue?

"This is why I'm team captain," Steve sighed. "I think we should let them have Soda and take Chely. It's only fair."

"That's why you're team captain," Johnny agreed with a small smirk.

"Ladies, are we going to play some football or not?" Chely asked from where she and Darry had just come out the back door.

"Just waiting on you," Steve answered. "Johnny and I put our heads together. You're on my team this year."

"That means I can't tackle you!" She mock pouted and Steve smirked at her.

"You'll survive. Ok, so Mike, Soda, Aries and Two-Bit are on that team. Me, Johnny, Chely and Darry on this team. We all know the boundaries and no tackling my wife."

"Yes sir, Steve, sir!" Two-Bit mock saluted, makingSoda laugh.

"We'll see who's still laughing when we win," Chely taunted.

"As long as the victory supper doesn't burn," Two-Bit started, sounding serious.

"Rachel and Lisa are watching it," Maureen called from the deck. "Kick some butt, honey!"

Darry smiled and waved at where his wife and son were sitting. Layne was easing into one of the deck chairs beside her with Aries' help. Dodge settled on her feet and gave a dog yawn. Yeah, I was right with the dog on how exciting this was going to be. Rachel and Lisa weren't missing much. Not that I wanted either of them to come out. Two-Bit married a kill joy when he settled for Rachel and Lisa didn't seem to like me, a friend of Johnny's or not.

"C'mon, Count Dracula!" Two-Bit hollered.

"Sure thing, Bilbo," Aries hollered back causing Two-Bit to chuckle.

"I still have no idea what that means after all these years," Two-Bit whispered to me and I shrugged.

"Ask Layne," I suggested.

"She just laughs." Two-Bit shrugged.

A minute later we were all lined up along the centerline, marked by the tree the kids were in and the middle of the deck's stairs. Steve and I lined up against each other while Aries was lined up against Johnny, Darry against Soda and Two-Bit against Chely.

The kids started cheering from the tree and Two-Bit straightened up to direct them like a conductor or something.

"Two-Bit, Two-Bit, he's our man! If he can't do it, no one can!" They yelped.

"Yay, Daddy!" his girl yelled at the end.

"Great job, Kidlins!" he hollered.

"Two-Bit," Chely snapped, pulling him back to the game with a swift tug on his shirt.

And in the next thirty seconds of confusion, Two-Bit had managed to get into a tickle fight with Chely, Aries had Johnny pinned to the ground, Soda had pushed away from Darry and looked like he wanted to hit him. Steve and I were the only ones still standing, looking at our friends and family like they were insane.

"Ok, that might not have been the best plan," Steve admitted, fingering the football in his hands.

"You think?" I asked and he shrugged.

"Why do you think the teams were the way they were? Two-Bit couldn't chase the girls if they were on his team, and Soda and Darry could ignore each other on the same team."

"Well, there's an easy solution," Aries said, after Johnny helped him to his feet and he limped over to us. "Switch Soda for Steve."

"That solves Soda and Darry," I said, waiting for the rest.

"Then you need to threaten the Hobbit," Aries concluded, rubbing absently at his hip. "Think you're up to it? Everyone knows he doesn't take Steve seriously."

"Why don't you do it, Captain America?" Steve suggested and Aries shrugged.

"Retired, remember? I make deals now, not threats."

Steve looked like he wanted to roll his eyes. Instead we sorted out the football teams and finally got somewhere. By the time we were all feeling our ages, the score was debatable, but we were all sweaty and happy. Steve set out a beer for everyone but Aries and Darry who didn't drink, and we all flopped down around the picnic table to relax before the girls brought out dinner.

"I am never moving again," Two-Bit declared, flopping down on the grass by my feet.

"You're just lazy," Chely teased him, as she headed towards the house. "Cut back on the donuts."

"She has a point," Steve pointed out from where he was sitting on the bench of the table between Soda and Johnny. "You look like you're about to pass out."

"It's not the donuts' fault," Two-Bit informed us and I heard Darry snort from where he was busy making his way over to where his kid was playing with a toy car on the deck.

"Whose fault is it, then?" I asked and Two-Bit gestured towards the house.

"I blame the wife."

"If you actually ate her cooking, then we'd believe you," Soda threw in.

With sweat dripping into my eyes, I didn't think twice about using my shirt as a mop. I'd removed it during the game and only got brief looks from everyone else before they seemed to accept that I had a scar and I was showing it off. There was a nice one from when I got stabbed through the shoulder that could have attracted most of the attention, but I wasn't about to speculate.

I nudged Aries with my elbow and nodded at the sweater he was wearing. He looked like he was cooking himself alive. He gave me a nervous look before pulling it over his head and folding it to sit on the grass beside him.

I caught sight of his arm then and didn't blame him all that much for hiding it. It was a mess of scars. Scars were something I knew a bit about and his were impressive. It looked like he'd meant to cut up the arm instead of across the wrist – which was the more efficient way to kill yourself since there was no coming back from a wrist to elbow slice if you do it right. He got to just about mid arm when it looks like Dallas must have walked in on him. Dallas must have wrestled with him or something because the mid arm looked like a meat grinder cut it up. He was lucky he hadn't severed any tendons or bled to death right then and there. It was easy to believe he gotten an arm of shrapnel.

"Better?" I asked him and he turned his arm so the scar was hidden where he rested it on the knee of his jeans.

"Still too hot right now," he told me and we both knew he was talking about the looks and not the heat. "Hopefully it'll cool off soon enough."

And I suppose it did after the kids all jumped on him and asked him about how he got it in the war and if it ever hurt. Gabe had kissed it better and invited his uncle up into the tree house while Moss tugged on his arm and asked questions about the war. The big baby looked like he was going to cry.

Layne had sat down beside me at some point through it all and kissed my cheek and held onto my arm, looking like she was going to cry, too. I wasn't really all that surprised by her. I was pretty sure Two-Bit did tear up a little bit when dinner was set out on the picnic tables set end to end across the back yard, but that could have been from Rachel smacking him for being so reverent around the food. I swear, he was almost as big a baby as Aries.

"You are a good man, Michael Garren," Layne whispered into my ear, looking over at where Gabe was chatting like mad to Aries around his mouthful of chicken.

"The last time you said that to me, we were in a lot of trouble," I reminded her.

"This time I soundly mean it," she replied, turning back towards Darry so they could start up another conversation.

I snorted, wondering if she would ever soundly mean those words, even if she thought she did. I wasn't a good man. I was just a good cook, a good mechanic, and a good rumbler. I didn't even know what made a man good, let alone how to be one. Taking a bite of the potato salad, I nodded to myself.

I was definitely a good cook and that was good enough for me.

* * *

Alright, that's the end of another chapter. I think I have two max left for this one, so we'll see.

Any comments at all are welcome and flames are accepted.

See ya in the funny papers!!!

Tens & Zickachik


	15. Chapter 15

Well, this is something I could have put up yesterday. Oh well. Better today anyways since I have managed to age a year since yesterday.Wonder if that will make me more credible...?Thanks to Zickachik for being awesome! 

Disclaimer: The usual

Chapter 15

I glared at the fireworks. In the past ten years, someone had completely changed the fuses on me. They were one solid rope instead of the many strands meeting together in the middle and linking to the outer edges. I knew it would make less of a bang that way, but they would probably go higher. 

I glanced over at where Soda and Steve were trying to set them all up so they were ready to launch. The last time I had seen them try this was New Years Eve ten years ago. Dallas and I had been stupid enough to bring them along on that prank. They'd both gotten covered with powder when one exploded on them much too close for comfort. They had the hang of it now and I was sure that they were much faster than I was now. Now that it was legal, I apparently just watched as they worked to get them all set up and launched. What was I doing? I was about fifteen feet from them with a long phone cord running from the fold up table Chely was currently sitting at. Two-Bit was standing beside me talking away into the phone, which was apparently going straight to the station and broadcasted. It was amazing what they could do with some things these days. Chely'd even mentioned a man on the moon at some point. I shook my head, reminding myself I didn't need to know, it would happen for me anyway. 

So instead of worrying over it, I just stood there and listened to Two-Bit talk like it was any other old day. 

"…And well be back after this word from our sponsors," Two-Bit paused and took a long breath. "Man, I think I'm getting lazy. I'm out of breath without you two talking all the time."

"Serves you right." I shrugged.

"No, serves you right. Wait for the tone and take over for me."

Before I could protest, the phone was shoved into my hands and I was forced to wait for the tone Two-Bit was talking about. I didn't have to wait long.

"Hi Tulsa. It's Mike…Garren. It's getting close to nine, so I suggest everyone finds themselves a good place to watch the fireworks in the south end…There's lots of room at the park still, but there's a lot of…picnickers waiting for the show to get on with."

Steve waved at me and I nodded back at him. Finally, we could get this show on the road.

"Alright. It looks like we're ready to go. Mr. Chely Randle, uh, Steve, is about to light the first fuse. Hopefully he's smart enough to get out of the way this time."

I paused as the first one squealed up into the air and blinked. They never made that noise before. Then it exploded into a million sparks when it got above the tree line and I marveled at that.

"Wow," I said into the phone. "They didn't do that ten years ago."

Two-Bit sent me a startled look and stole the phone away.

"Nope, they definitely did not. I remember plenty of shows as a kid and I just get more impressed every year. Special thanks go out to our favorite roadside stand – Chuck's Fireworks – for discounting tonight's show. Wow! Here comes the next one!" 

The next one exploded into blue and I was as mesmerized as the kids who were on the other side of the trees watching. Two-Bit was talking still, but he was watching me with a frown, too. The fireworks finally finished and Chely had the phone, talking to Tulsa.

"I didn't know you liked Fireworks so much," he said and I shrugged.

"Me and my brother used to set them off out on Coney Island right on the shore for fun. It got so we had to get one of the boys to distract the fuzz so we could set 'em off without problems. Then there was this big celebration in Central Park and we set them off there right behind the mayor." I smirked slightly. "Those were the only times I can remember actually bonding with my brother."

"I didn't even know you had a brother!" Two-Bit stated and I shrugged.

"I figure we never patched things up after I had to leave New York. He's probably dead now."

Two-Bit sent me a pity look, but he didn't have any time to say anything. Layne was walking towards us with a hand cupping each of the boys'. Dodge was trotting after them, sneezing at the smoke that was still dissipating from his level. She looked about as wiped as the kids she was dragging along. Gabe hugged my legs and yawned. I got the hint and picked him up. His head went to my shoulder and Layne smiled at me.

"I think it's time we called it a night, Mr. Garren," she said.

"I think he already has, Mrs. Garren," I replied.

"Well, folks, Mike just got told he has to go home now because it's past his bedtime," Two-Bit chuckled into the phone and Chely smiled from where she was standing beside him. "Say Goodnight to Tulsa, Mike."

"'Night," I sighed into the phone and Gabe mumbled the same thing with his eyes closed.

"Now, ain't that cute," Two-Bit chuckled again. "Now it's time for our good pal, Midnight Hal, to take over for the rest of our broadcast day. I'm Keith Mathews signing off for Mathews and Pals. Catch us Monday at seven AM sharp for more talk and music."

He listened to the phone for a moment before hanging it up and setting the whole thing by his feet. Layne smirked at him, looping a hand around my waist and leaning on me, too. I rolled my eyes.

"C'mon, let's get home. Make sure Steve and Soda clean up."

"Don't I always?" Chely asked with a smile. "See you Monday, Mike."

No, she wouldn't.

"Sure," I offered.

Aries and Maureen waved from where they were both sitting with sleepy kids and I waved back. By the time we got to the car, I had waved at pretty much everyone who'd been at the barbecue this afternoon and some people I didn't know. My free arm was dead by the time I was done waving, which was saying something when the other one was carrying the dead weight of Gabe. Needless to say, by the time everyone was in the car and ready to go, all I wanted to do was go home, drink a beer, and go to sleep for a long, long time. I knew I'd get the beer. It was the sleep I knew would be elusive.

"Hey Mike?"

I glanced over at Layne from the driver's side and waited instead of starting the car and driving home like I wanted to.

"Are you alright?" she asked, studying me with her blue-green eyes glowing in the summer sunset. It was eerie, like she could see through me.

"I'm fine. Why?" 

"You've been off lately," she told me. "I just…will you talk to me? I mean, if you need to run, will you talk to me first?" 

She looked worried and I nodded, not knowing what else to do. If everything went on schedule, I would be running out on her. But she would get her Mike back. Whether he was going to talk to her or not before he ran, if he ran, was the question. She studied me for a moment and nodded, glancing over the seat at where the boys were both out cold.

"Thanks, that means a lot to me," she sniffed and I held in a groan. Damn random pregnant crying.

"It's been a long day," I told her, looping an arm around her shoulders and ignoring her quiet crying. "I think everyone is ready for bed." 

"Yeah," she replied, shifting so she was pressed up against my side. "Let's go home."

It was later that night after the boys were in bed and Layne had gone upstairs that I sat on the front porch and nursed a beer. The day was a good one, but I was glad it was over. Even where and when I belonged, I had never been all that comfortable with this gang acting like a family because family was just a fucked up justification to stay with people who hurt you.

But here, in this future, they didn't ever hurt each other on purpose, even Darry who was trying to fix things. They were the freaking poster picture for the American dream this afternoon. If it was meant to push me over the edge, then it did the job. Probably not in the direction they'd imagined, but I was Mike Garren. There was no gang member in New York that would argue the fact I was obstinate enough to do just the opposite of what was expected of me. Well, where I belonged anyway. I don't suppose they even remembered me here. They'd all know my brother Ajax, though, that's if he didn't go out with a bang by now. I should have gone out with a semi-impressive bang, too.

I let out a small chuckle and took another sip from my beer. Yeah, this definitely was some fucked up dream if I was still alive after ten years. 

Dodge whined from beside me and I glanced at the old guy. He nosed my elbow and whined. I scratched his ears, set my almost empty beer down, and got up to let him back in the house. Something was bothering him and I wasn't going to put up with the whining. When I walked in, the place was warmer than outside, but it wasn't oppressive. I followed Dodge upstairs and watched as he nosed at the one room in the house I hadn't entered. So I turned the knob and pushed the door open. This was the baby's room. Or it would be.

The walls were a light green color; there was a crib in the corner, a dresser full of clothes, and a few stuffed animals. The kid wasn't even born yet and he didn't have much. Dodge sniffed around the room and whined again. I sighed.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I asked and he leaned against my legs heavily. I reached a hand down and scratched his head, wondering if the dog was dying or something.

I dismissed it. This was my perfect future. Whoever came up with this dream wanted a happy ending not a dead dog. I wondered suddenly if he knew I wasn't going to be there in the morning. I sighed, scratching his ears a little harder. That settled things. When I got back, we were getting a dog. I'd make the excuse that it was for Aries or something, but I was getting a dog. It was nice to have a friend that wasn't going to talk back to you or nag you into doing work or crack jokes every ten seconds...

I shook my head and nudged the dog out of the room. I closed the door behind me and went across the hall to where the boys were sleeping. I studied the pair of them for a minute before going down the hall. Layne was fast asleep on the bed; Ducky curled up beside her. Dodge hopped up on the bed and laid down at the foot of it, looking up at me. I stripped down to my boxers and nudged the dog over until I was fully in bed. I had two choices – face the closet or face Layne. I finally rolled over and glanced at her. I sighed. That was the most screwed up part of all of this. She was my best friend and I could see us together for the rest of our lives just because she and I had an understanding. I wondered if this was some unconscious wish I was having now that she wanted to get married to Darry. 

I nudged the dog over with my foot again and decided it didn't matter. I was ready to wake up and get the hell out of here. And it was with that pleasant thought that I fell asleep.

When I woke up, it was much later and Layne was amazingly still asleep in the same position I had last seen her in. Dodge was still on my feet and the cat was still curled up between Layne and I. The house was quiet and the clock said it was only one AM. So that made me wonder why the hell I was awake? I closed my eyes, but sleep didn't come again. It was two when I next looked at the clock and got up, wondering why I was so awake. I made my way down the hall and into the kitchen for a glass of water, nearly tripping over two different toys on my way. I cursed in the dark and finally reached the sink. I grabbed a clean glass and poured myself some water. I stood there, drinking the whole thing down before looking out the window. 

"Son of a bitch," I cursed and set the glass down in the sink.

A moment later I was out on the back deck, staring at where my mother was sitting on the picnic table, watching me with eyes I noticed someone had given Gabe. She smiled gently at me and patted the space beside her. I folded my arms across my chest, but sat down beside her anyway. We were both quiet for several moments and I was surprised she broke it.

"You have a lovely family."

"A family in a fucked up dream," I added.

She studied me for a moment and sighed. "Have you learned nothing?"

"I've learned plenty. Everything changes and it's not for the better. A kid I like dies and it fucks everything over, even if it opens up for this 'lovely family'," I snapped.

I met her sad eyes and she honestly looked like she was in pain for me. I snorted, turning my attention to the back fence.

"I'm domesticated," I ground out when she didn't say anything. "I have these close relations with people I didn't even think I'd know after another year. Layne and I ended up stuck in Tulsa. I hate Tulsa! I hate the person I become who's afraid of everything I love to do!"

"Then work with this and change what you need to," she soothed, running an icy hand down my arm and I shivered.

"You and I both know this is just a dream. You're dead and I'm most definitely in Hell."

"Oh, Michael…"

"I don't care if I have another week or another hour or even another minute here. I want out. Now."

She didn't say anything. I was pretty sure I was boring a hole through the back fence with the way I was staring at it. 

"Alright," she finally sighed. "Goodbye, Michael."

Before I could tell her it would be a _very_ good goodbye, my chest erupted in pain and I gasped. Then the whole back yard turned pitch black as I fell.

* * *

Dun, Dun, Dunnnn! Ok, I think I get a little dramatic when it's bed time! Well, the next chapter is the final chapter of this weird and wild ride. I hope everyone has enjoyed so far!

Any comments are welcome and flames accepted!

See ya in the funny papers!

Tens and Zickachik


	16. Chapter 16

Well folks. Here it is. The end. Well, technically. This story picks up in Chapter 33 of Finn where we get Cherry's POV on the last few sentences in here. So here it goes! Thanks to Zickachik who was amazing to get this done today. That was kind of sad since this is the first thing she ever Beta'd for me. But hey! All good things come to pass and other sentiments can be inserted here.

Disclaimer: The usual.

On with the Show!

Chapter 16

When I opened my eyes, the world wasn't black anymore. The world was white and glaring in its brightness. I groaned and was immediately swarmed with men in white coats and women in white caps. I was glad that didn't last long since I passed out again.

The next time I came to, there was only one doc and it was a lot easier to focus on him. He told me how long I'd been out and I wanted to laugh. I would have if my chest could have handled anything more strenuous than shallow breathing.

I'd been in a coma for a week.That was two days ago. The past two days had been hell. I'd been in pain and prodded by someone in white every time my eyes were open, so I kept them closed for the most part. You'd think after nine days they'd let a guy go home. I couldn't remember much more of the past two days. My world had been hazy thanks to good old Morphine, but it was better today. I was more focused, but I was itching to leave. I think I could have dealt with being here if someone would just directly tell me why I was here. It felt like something had crushed my chest. I was too young for a heart attack, though. Wasn't I?

The last thing I remembered was sitting on the table with my dead mother. That couldn't be right. How could I sit with her if she was dead? I had been sitting with someone while the kids and Layne were all asleep in the house. Maybe it was the dog. All I know is that's what I was doing when the pain started and I woke up here. If it had been a heart attack, there wasn't much I could do about it. 

I was probably scaring the hell out of the kids and Layne. Well, at least I'd get time off work. The station would be fine without me for a few days and the diner could kiss my ass. And where was the damn doctor? I'd been awake and on my own for the last hour with only a crabby nurse for company. I was paying for this out the nose, so I thought it was the least they could do to provide me with some damn service. What could I say? I got crabby when I was being held against my will with no answers and pumped full of drugs.

"Ah, you're awake."

I glanced over at where there was a tall, dark haired guy in a white coat. It was about time. It was also about then that I really wished it didn't hurt to raise my arms up. I had a one-finger salute ready for him.

"How are you feeling?" he asked and I glared at him. "That well, huh?"

"Great, a comedian," I rasped and he smiled.

"You're much more lively than the last time we talked," he commented. "I'm Doctor Adderson, in case you don't remember me."

"I remember you're the ugly one," I rasped.

"Well, maybe you'd like more attractive company. Your wife's here."

"My wife."

"She's been visiting you daily," he commented, making marks on my charts. "I mostly think she comes to water the flowers."

I glanced over at where there were two vases full of colorful flowers and groaned. You'd think I was a chick or something. That was probably Chely's doing.

The doc asked a couple more questions, used his stethoscope and tried to look like he knew what he was doing before leaving the room. I didn't bother saying anything else to him, aside from the fact I wanted to leave. He'd told me to just relax and heal up. I as pretty sure the snarl I gave him was what sent him running from the room. I was on my own again for a few minutes before Layne walked into the room. She looked...different. 

"How are you feeling?" she asked, coming to sit on the side of the bed.

"Like Tiny sat on my chest," I told her and she smiled.

"Too much blood for that," she commented.

"Did I have a heart attack?" I asked her and she shook her head.

"Doc Adderson didn't tell you?" she asked and I hoped the look I gave her passed for 'maybe, but I don't recall if that fuck did or not'. "You were shot."

"Again?" I asked and she frowned.

"I wasn't aware you'd been shot before."

I frowned at her. That's when it occurred to me that she didn't look different; she looked younger and not pregnant. That meant...

I was back.

From the pain in my chest, I wasn't sure I wanted to be here. Layne laid a hand on my forehead and raised an eyebrow at me. I sighed lightly, since anything deep hurt.

"No, just feels like more than once," I told her and she nodded. "I feel like shit."

"Well, here's a thought: don't get shot again."

I smirked slightly. Boy had I missed non-moody Layne. This was the person I considered to be my best friend. Not my wife and not the mother of my children. And she was a hell of a lot better than a certain big mouthed, rusty-side-burned Greaser. 

"Yes sir, Finn, sir," I promised and she smiled. "How are things on the outside?"

"You make this sound like jail," she commented.

"It is."

"Well, things are going well, considering. Everyone is worried about you."

"Better be," I muttered.

"Well, keep up the pleasant disposition and they might let you out of here in a week." 

"Can't wait."

Layne smiled slightly and let her eyes wander. What else was there to talk about without boys underfoot, dogs barking and cats trying to knock over your coffee at every chance? I guess we were back to just being friends. That, and talking was a bitch on my end.

"Listen, I have to go and pick up a shift for Josie. I'll be back in the morning. You'll be happy to know that you're allowed visitors outside the family then. And Jello."

"You should have told them you were my bratty little sister instead of my wife."

Layne smirked now, amused. "They never would have believed it. Get some rest."

It wasn't until the next morning that I really started to think about things. I had been in a coma for a week. That was the same amount of time I had spent in that other life. It had to be a coincidence or a dream or something. I refused to believe anyone would waste showing someone like me the future. But if that really was the future, I had some choices to make. I could let things go like I knew nothing or I could muck things up and possibly make life worse. 

Who the hell was I kidding? It was all a morphine-induced hallucination. Nothing to change, nothing to let happen. 

But there were things that would have to be done. I liked the idea of making Curly do time at the DX. It was fitting. I was going to skin his friends, though. No one shot a Garren and got away with it.

And it was like the kid read my mind. Later in the morning, while I was pretending to be asleep, none other than Curly Shepard walked into the room, looking around cautiously. I studied him from my barely slit eyes and listened as he came closer to the bed. 

"Garren?" he asked, trying to be as quiet as possible.

I didn't respond and he moved so he was leaning over me, his cheap and probably needless aftershave clogging my senses. 

"Garren?" he asked again doubtfully.

My right hand shot up and I caught Curly's shirt. I had it gripped tightly before my eyes met Curly's frightened ones. I glared at him as he gripped my wrist. My chest felt like it was being ripped apart, but I didn't show it. I didn't dare show weakness to a threat. I was going to keep my reputation, even if it felt like it was killing me.

"You got balls," I growled.

"I – I wanted to make sure you were ok," he stumbled, but got his composure back quickly. "You sure as hell seem fine to me."

"You should just read the papers like everyone else," I told him. "Are you stupid or just plain brain-damaged?"

"What do you mean?"

"They posted a cop down stairs. I could finger you right now and you'd be doing an impressive stint in the reformatory." I shook him a bit as I told him what Layne had told me.

Curly said nothing, but he was decidedly pale. 

"What? You want to go to the Reformatory?" I asked, clenching the sheets with my other hand.

"I have never seen anyone bleed like that before," Curly commented and I let him go. "I thought you'd bleed it all out before I got to the payphone outside."

Damn. Little Curly Shepard was feeling guilty. Hell, I knew he wasn't responsible for what went down and I had never planned on fingering any of those punks. I didn't want any of them in the reformatory. I wanted to beat Curly's friends into a bloody pulp and make Curly understand the meaning of hard work. I'd have no satisfaction if they were all locked up away from me. Still, Curly was willing to go. It was rather sad. Damn, now I felt bad for the kid.

"I'm alive," I pointed out. "Quit feeling sorry for yourself."

"It's because of me you're in here!" he nearly yelped, seeming incredibly surprised. 

"Hell, kid. You want to make it up to be by going to jail? Because that doesn't help me out one fucking bit."

Curly frowned like he was finally on the same page as I was. His eyes widened and he let his mouth go slack for a minute before he was using it to sputter out words.

"You want me to repent or something?"

"Where'd you learn that word?" I asked and he glared at me.

"My mother makes me go to church sometimes. Don't change the subject, you –"

I had a hold of his chin this time and tugged him closer to me sharply. "Watch it."

Curly reared back out of my grasp and pouted a few feet from the bed where I couldn't get him. 

"So you want me to make it up some way but not in jail. Then what?" Curly asked, smacking his hands against his thighs nervously.

"You want to atone? I can think of something useful. Come work at the DX."

"Are they feeding you crazy pills or something?" he asked. "You're making no sense."

"Listen, I'm going to be out of commission for a while. The best help you can give me is not letting the place slow down because you're an idiot," I replied.

"You're fine. Just grab someone else like that and they'll do whatever you want them to," Curly assured me, rubbing his chin.

I held back a smirk. At least I was getting the results I wanted. Mike Garren was still alive and kicking. 

"I grabbed you," I reminded him. 

"If it was just yard work or something…" Curly waved his hand.

"And you think Aries is completely useless?" I asked and he looked at the floor. "You're going to work at the DX under my watch."

"Hell, Garren. I don't know anything about cars."

"You'll learn."

He was quiet and I finally sighed, wondering what the hell else could be bothering him.

"They'll all know," he finally said.

"Who will all know what?" I asked tiredly.

"Everyone will know I'm only there because I was involved," he clarified. "The people you work with sure as hell won't want me there."

"It doesn't matter what they want. I'm wounded and I always get my way."

"Garren…"

"Come back this afternoon," I ordered. "You can let me know if you'd rather be stuck under cars or under some big guy named Bubba who'll make you his bitch."

Curly looked like he had never seen me before, but that was fine. I didn't care what he thought. I knew he'd be back. And no, not just because of the dream. I knew he would be back because Bubba was a worse fate than working with me. A well-aimed kick and he'd be away from me. Try the same with Bubba and it was likely he'd lose all his teeth.

Curly left without another word and I collapsed back into the pillows. My chest was on fire and I shut my eyes tightly, gritting my teeth. When it passed, I grabbed the bar on the bed and made to get up. I shouldn't have told Curly to come back because I didn't plan on being here. I wanted to go home. Not in another week or another hour. Right now. I thought I was doing pretty well and I made it about three feet before the door opened. An older lady in a nurse cap was standing there giving me the dirtiest look she could manage.

"Mr. Garren! You were told four times to stay in bed!"

Well…I vaguely remembered something about that. Hell, I did remember that. I just hated staying in bed like an infant. Every time I wanted to move, there was a nurse here telling me to get back to bed.

"Back in bed with you before you pop a stitch and we have to take you down to surgery again."

See? No friendly visits around this place. I glared at her and opened my mouth to say something when she shouted my least favorite word of all time. "Orderly!"

A burly blonde popped his head in and gave me a stern look. I honestly would have gone straight back to bed, but it was all I could do to hold onto the rail to keep my knees from buckling. I'd been in bed for ten days. Was it any wonder I couldn't stand? I couldn't even remember the last time I ate, so I had no energy. But I'd be damned if I let this keep up. The only cure for shit like this was a long walk and your own bed. Too bad no one else seemed to see it that way.

A moment later, the orderly had a hand under each of my armpits and I couldn't stop the pained noise that came from my mouth. I was quickly placed back in bed and Doc Adderson conveniently chose that moment to pop his head in. The next thing I know, I'm strapped to the bed and something a lot weaker than morphine was being pumped into my system. 

That still didn't stop the panicked pants that came from my mouth or the struggling I did to try and get out of the restraints. No, the only thing the damn drugs did was make me vulnerable and weak. I took sharp breaths through my nose, hoping I was quiet enough so that I wasn't going to wake Pop. It took several minutes for me to remember Pop was half way across the country. He couldn't touch me. I kept a hold on that thought, even if I was shaking. Once I got over the fact I was trapped, I laid perfectly still, unwilling to move and attract attention to myself. That got old after a while and I was almost happy when Curly Shepard walked in with the newspaper under his arm.

"It says here you're going to give a statement," he accused.

"I am if you don't quit playing kid games and own up to what I offered you," I snapped at him and he backed up against the door, looking shocked.

"Alright…are you alright?" He asked timidly.

"Get out!" I snapped as loudly as I could.

And with that, Curly Shepard fled the room like I was physically chasing him. He'd managed to make the first thing in my dream come true, though. I sighed, leaning back in the bed and straining at the restraints again. At this rate, I could be headed for that dream future in less than a month.

I wrung my wrists along the leather again, pulling at the ones on my ankles. Layne would be here today and when she got here and took them off, I'd be fine again. I could do this until she got here. I was Mike Garren and I'd been through worse. I closed my eyes thinking about anything else and remembered something Layne said to me once. 

What would come would come and greater men than I had tried to hold back fate and failed. Better to just be swallowed up by the river and see what was at the end of the ride.

I was going to give it a try when none other than Cherry – Aries' future wife – walked in to the room and brightly introduced herself as Sherri and she was going to read to me. 

I gave a dry chuckle. Fate was definitely a bitch.

* * *

Well, The end! I know, you're all sitting there going "What the hell, Tens?" Yes, I know, but like I said, the story is a huge excerpt from Finn. So it's not really left like this...technically. Man, it is too early to think. Thanks to everyone who read it and everyone who reviewed as well. I appreciated the attention!

Any comments at all are welcome and flames accepted!

See ya in the funny papers!

Tens & Zickachik


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